


Balancing the Scales

by TheNocturnalHermit



Series: The Airbender [5]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Action/Adventure, Airbending & Airbenders, Canon Compliant, Earth Kingdom, Earthbending & Earthbenders, F/M, Fire Nation, Fire Nation Royal Family, Firebending & Firebenders, Fluff, Original Character(s), Post-Canon, Romance, Waterbending & Waterbenders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2018-09-09 17:25:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 57,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8902459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNocturnalHermit/pseuds/TheNocturnalHermit
Summary: Sequel to A Gentle Wind and a Roaring FireThe Hundred Year War is over. But there's still much work to do before the world can be at peace once again.On hiatus...yet again...I swear I'm not doing this deliberately. Life is being a bit of a dick at the moment. I WILL finish this, but updates are going to be sporadic. I am so sorry for this nonsense, but I am grateful for your patience and support.





	1. Midnight Intruders

**Author's Note:**

> I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FROM AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. I OWN ONLY MY OCs. THIS WAS WRITTEN PURELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
> 
> Woo the sequel is here! Just a few things to note before y'all get into the thick of the story: the first half or so will follow the storylines from the first two graphic novels that followed after ATLA ended (The Promise and The Search). The rest will be spun from my own imagination for two reasons: one, I haven't been able to read any of the other graphic novels as of yet (yes yes, shame upon me and my own!) And two, I merely had some ideas of where I want this story to go and that may not line up with how the actuality of it is.
> 
> Now, without further ado, please enjoy the continued adventures of Emi.

Midnight Intruders

Emi opened the doors to her balcony, letting in the fresh morning air and allowing the breeze to wake her up more fully. Yuuka glided over to the rail, twitching her tail happily. Emi chuckled at her pet and scratched the little critter behind the ears before turning back into her room to get dressed for the day.

  
It had been a little over three months since the end of the Hundred Year War. And for the most part, things were running smoothly. Aang, Katara, and Sokka were off flying through the Fire Nation colonies, helping to relocate the citizens there back to the Fire Nation while Toph had recently started up her own Metalbending Academy. As for herself, Emi had been living within the palace. Officially she was deemed “an honored guest” but to most anyone who saw them, they knew she and Zuko were a couple. There were some who disapproved of the pairing and others who didn’t particularly mind, but in the end Emi didn’t care one way or another. She loved Zuko and he loved her. And that was good enough for them.

  
But then there was Zuko himself. Since becoming Fire Lord, there had been a few issues that had cropped up recently for him. In particular, one certain event.

  
A few weeks before, an assassin had attempted to break into the palace and kill the young Fire Lord. Ever since then Emi’s boyfriend had been more on edge, falling into dark moods much like he had done when they had first met.

  
Even so, that didn’t deter Emi from trying to cheer him up. The world was still tender, the Fire Nation still used to being thought of as a supreme nation. While there were plenty of citizens who adored Zuko and preferred him over his father, there were others who were not so keen with his rule, especially since he supported the Harmony Restoration Movement and, as a direct result, supported the removal of Fire Nation citizens from the Earth Kingdom colonies.

  
Emi dragged on her clothes, touching the gold and crimson fabric tenderly. She had been given more custom made Air Nomad outfits, reminiscent of the once vibrant nation but with a bit of a Fire Nation twist. To complete the outfit, Emi put on the jade pendant Zuko had given her after their first month together. Etched within the smooth, circular stone was the symbol for the Fire Nation.

  
She grabbed her staff as Yuuka glided over to sit on her shoulder. Before they ventured out, Emi took a moment to touch the painting of her parents tenderly as the frame sat on the altar she had made for them. Then, she left the room and stepped out into the palace hallway, heading down to the dining room for breakfast. Everyone she passed bowed to her and said “good morning, Lady Airbender.” It had become her title since getting her tattoos, and while it made Emi feel awkward at times, she couldn’t deny the happiness she felt. Not a day had gone by where she hadn’t stopped to admire the pale blue arrows that wound around her arms and legs. It made her even happier that she could walk around without having to hide who she was.

  
Emi entered the dining area only to stop in her tracks, frowning. There was only one place set, and that was clearly for her. She rolled her eyes and addressed a nearby attendant.

  
“Excuse me, is Fire Lord Zuko not going to be joining us?” she asked.

  
“The Fire Lord has declined to take his breakfast this morning,” the man replied, bowing to her.

  
Emi heaved a sigh, rubbing her temple. This was becoming a very unfortunate habit of Zuko’s, and she did not like it one bit. “I see. May I have a tray then, please? Perhaps I can coax his highness to eat _something_ at least...”

  
“Of course, Lady Airbender,” the man smiled, turning away to retrieve the tray. Once they had set her breakfast upon it, Emi left the dining room and headed straight for Zuko’s quarters. As she arrived, she balanced the tray on one hand and tucked her staff under her arm before knocking on his doors.

  
“I said I was not to be disturbed this morning,” Zuko’s grouchy voice snapped from within the room.

  
“Since when has that ever stopped me?” Emi retorted.

  
There was a moment of silence before she heard a heavy sigh and footsteps walking over to the doors. They opened to reveal Zuko still wearing his night robe, heavy bags under his eyes.

  
“I should have known it’d be you,” he muttered, stepping aside to let her in.

  
“Yes, you should have,” Emi replied, placing the tray down on a nearby table. She turned back to Zuko, leaning on her staff. “You should have also known that declining breakfast wouldn’t escape my notice.”

  
“I’m not hungry,” Zuko said shortly, walking back over to his desk.

  
“That’s what you said yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that.” Emi sighed. “At least have an apple.”

  
“I’m busy, Emi. I can’t take the time to eat right now,” Zuko snapped.

  
“Yes, you can,” Emi said firmly, placing the apple next to him. “One apple. That’s all I ask.”

  
Zuko glared over at her before heaving a sigh and taking the apple, muttering “pain in my ass…”

  
Emi chuckled. “Maybe, but I’m a lovable pain in your ass,” she remarked, taking a pear from her tray and munching into the fruit.

  
“Don’t push your luck,” he grumbled, smiling a little.

  
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she smiled, kissing his cheek. She broke off a bit of the pear and handed the fruit to Yuuka, who had been eyeing the tray since they left the dining room. Emi then let her eyes drift over the contents of Zuko’s desk, frowning. “Are you still getting letters?” she asked.

  
Zuko scowled. “Yes. Some of the colonies don’t want to move, and when they’re forced out of their homes they send these letters. And assassins, apparently.”

  
“It was one time, Zuko. The Fire Nation is still delicate. The whole world is delicate. You’re doing the right thing, though.”

  
“Am I?” He scanned over one letter, frowning. “I’m not sure I know anymore...”

  
“You’re letting your problems become bigger than they need to be,” Emi said gently. “You can’t keep up this pace. You need to sleep. And you need to eat.”

  
Zuko grimaced. “Emi, I get what you’re trying to do. But I can’t just sit back and relax. Not with all these people demanding my attention.” He heaved sighed, turning to look at her. “I have a meeting in a few hours. I need to prepare.”

  
Emi nodded, knowing a dismissal when she heard one. “Okay. I’ll see you later, then,” she said, kissing him lightly. Zuko held her in place for a moment longer, apologizing for his behavior with his lips. Emi stepped back and took the tray away, leaving Zuko to deal with his troubles alone.

\- - -

Miraculously, Zuko did attend dinner later that night. He still looked tired, but his sour mood was not so tangible. He even managed to laugh a few times while they ate. Afterward, they took a walk through the gardens, stopping by the pond to feed the turtle ducks. Emi was pleased that the day had ended peacefully, and it gave her hope that Zuko would eventually find his rhythm as Fire Lord.

  
Emi yawned, turning her blankets back and snuggling down into her bed. Yuuka curled up on the pillow next to her, yawning as well. It did not take long for either of them to fall asleep.

  
Then, chaos jolted them awake hours later.

  
Shouts and the sounds of a bending battle rang through the halls of the palace. Emi bolted upright, Yuuka squeaking in fright. She jumped out of the bed and grabbed her staff, running over to the doors but they burst open before she had a chance to reach them. On the other side, a masked man was wielding a deadly looking sword. With a guttural cry, he charged forward, swinging the blade high above his head. Emi leapt out of the way on a burst of wind, spinning around to kick out a slice of air that sent the intruder crashing through her balcony doors. Before he could tumble down to the ground, however, he managed to grip onto the rail and leap back up, running at her once again.

  
Emi stood her ground, waiting until he was mere feet from her before she spun her staff around, lifting the man up on a swirl of air and tossing him around. With a cry, she flung her hand out, sending the would be killer crashing back through her broken doorway and hitting the wall with a dull thud. As she ran out into the hallway cautiously, she heard the sounds of another fight not too far away. In the direction of Zuko’s quarters.

  
Emi gripped her staff tightly and began to run down the hall, only to stop as a second assassin came pelting through, intent on making an escape. She clenched her jaw and swung her staff around, sending a wave of air pelting toward the man. He cried out as he was lifted off his feet and pushed back all the way down the hall he had come from. He landed in a heap as the guards and Zuko came running into view.

  
The palace guards wasted no time in arresting the two intruders, taking them away to be locked up. They then spoke with Zuko, assuring him that the rest of the palace was secure and that there had only been two assassins. Even with this news, the look of anger did not fade from the Fire Lord’s face. Once the guards had left he turned back to Emi, taking her hand silently and dragging her back into the wreckage of her room. Yuuka flew out from her hiding spot, nestling on Emi’s shoulder and licking her cheek.

  
“You’re leaving this palace. Tonight,” Zuko stated without preamble.

  
Emi blinked in shock. “What?! Why?!”

  
“ _Why_?!” He scoffed. “You really need to ask that?! Two men just stormed in here trying to not only kill me, but _you_ as well! Is that not incentive enough for you to leave?!”

  
“No! Because they tried to kill _you_!” Emi shot back. “I’m not leaving you alone to deal with this!”

  
“I’m not giving you a choice,” Zuko said firmly. “When the guards come back you will be escorted to the docks. A ship will take you wherever you wish to go. You’re not staying here.”

  
“Zuko, you don’t have to do this alone,” Emi pleaded with him. “Please...don’t send me away.”

  
“I’m not sending you away because I don’t want you around, Emi,” he said, cupping her cheek. “I’m sending you away because I love you and I will not stand by and watch you get hurt. Or worse. Security will be raised around here in the meantime. I should be fine until this whole Harmony Restoration Movement is completed. At that time, I’ll come and get you myself. Okay?”

  
Emi heaved a sigh. She knew when Zuko set his mind to something, no amount of pleading or cajoling would shake his resolve. It was thoroughly annoying. “Fine. I’ll pack my things.”

  
“Where are you going to go?” Zuko asked as Emi began to gather her bag together. She didn’t answer right away. _Like I actually make plans for this sort of thing,_ she remarked to herself bitterly. But as she picked up her belongings, her eyes falling on her parents‘ painting, a thought occurred to her.

  
“Maybe I’ll go visit the Air Temples. And Haruka’s cottage,” Emi said, tying her bag together. “After seeing the Western Air Temple I’ve been itching to explore the others. Especially the Eastern Air Temple.”

  
“Are you sure you should be moving around so much?” Zuko asked, worried. “Maybe it would be better for you to stay in one place. That way I know where you are.”

  
“I’ll send you letters letting you know where I am,” Emi assured him. “And besides, moving around a lot should keep any potential assassins off my trail. It’ll be like a game; find out where the Airbender is going to next!”

  
“That’s not funny, Emi,” Zuko remarked with a frown.

  
“Alright, alright,” Emi sighed, picking up her clothes and disappearing into the bathroom to change. When she reappeared, adjusting her crimson shawl, she saw Zuko standing by her dresser holding the jade necklace. Emi walked up to him, turning around so he could clasp the chain into place. As the cool stone settled against her skin, Zuko wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin in the crook of her shoulder.

  
“I’m going to miss you,” he murmured softly, kissing her cheek.

  
“Well, I could stay,” Emi remarked. “I mean, I wouldn’t want you feeling lonely.”

  
“Emi…”

  
“Okay okay.” She turned around in his arms, running her hands over his cheeks. “I’m just teasing. You can’t blame me for trying to lighten the mood.”

  
Zuko rolled his eyes and pressed his lips to hers, holding her in place as he deepened the kiss. He pulled away after a few moments, running his fingers through her growing hair. “Did I ever tell you how cute you look with short hair?” he asked.

  
“A few times, if I remember correctly,” Emi smirked, leaning in to kiss him lightly before stooping down to grab her bag. Once she had slung the bag and her sword over her shoulder, Yuuka clinging to the other, Emi followed Zuko out of her room and through the empty hallways. They left through the back of the palace, where a carriage was waiting to take Emi to the docks using the back roads. _He must really be worried, to go through all this trouble_ , Emi mused to herself, looking sidelong at Zuko’s tense profile.

  
Emi handed over her bag, sword, and staff to the carriage driver, who put them in the back with delicate care. She then turned back to Zuko, her sea green eyes exuding seriousness.

  
“Do me a favor, Zuko?” she asked. “Try to get as much rest as you can. And don’t skip your meals.”

  
Zuko raised his eyebrow, smiling a little. “I’ll try, Emi.”

  
“Promise?”

  
“Promise.”

  
Emi smiled and wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her head against his chest. He held her close for a few moments until the driver reappeared, ready to escort Emi to the docks. She walked over to the carriage door, pausing to look back at Zuko for a moment before heaving a sigh and hauling herself inside. The door shut and the driver got into the front seat, urging the komodo rhinos into a trot. Before she knew it, Emi was out of the palace grounds and traveling through the quiet streets. She sat back against the seat, stroking a dozing Yuuka on her lap. It was her sincere hope that Zuko would be okay, and that she would be able to return to his side before too long.


	2. A Change of Heart

A Change of Heart  
Nine Months Later

Zuko tossed and turned in his bed, his dreams stilted and fitful. Something kept nagging at the back of his mind, and he couldn’t fathom what it could be. Suddenly his instincts jolted, high on the alert. He awoke with a gasp and sat up quickly, his golden eyes wide and sweeping the darkness of his room. Something was wrong. He could feel it.

  
“Who’s there?” he demanded, the silence of the night his only answer. With a growl Zuko flung back his covers, stalking over to the door and whipping it open. The guards outside in the hall were startled by his presence.

  
“Someone’s here! I can feel it! Someone’s trying to assassinate me!” he insisted to the guards.

  
“Fire Lord, please, go back to sleep,” one of the guards pleaded. “We’re in the most secure tower in the entire palace!”

  
“No one will get to you tonight, I assure you,” the younger guard added.

  
“Just like no one got to you last night, or the night before that, or the night before that…” the first guard muttered under his breath.

  
Zuko scowled and grabbed the man by the front of his shirt. “Do not mock me!” he yelled. “There have already been five attempts on my life since I took the throne!”

  
“And that’s why we moved you here!” the second guard tried to console him. “Please, you just have to trust-”

  
Suddenly, a missile came flying out from the darkness, slamming into the guards' heads. The rock and chain weapon effectively threw them to the ground, unconscious. Zuko spun around, looking for the source of the attack.

  
“Down with the traitor! Down with the Fire Lord who betrays his own people!”

  
The assassin leapt out from the darkness, twirling her rock chain. She threw the object toward Zuko, who leapt out of the way just in time. He flung out his arm, shooting a stream of fire toward the girl as she jumped up to avoid the flames, flinging her weapon out once again. Zuko tried to dodge but the assassin managed to flip the rock around his ankle, tripping him.

  
Zuko jumped back into action before she could do anything else, kicking out with his foot to let loose another stream of fire. He leapt up to his feet, pummeling out blast after blast, knocking the assassin off of her feet. He swiftly moved forward, removing her lower face scarf to get a look at his would be killer. She didn’t appear much older than he was.

  
“Convince me not to take your life,” Zuko snarled.

  
“Go ahead!” she spat. “My family has been loyal to yours for generations! By getting rid of me you would simply complete your betrayal!”

  
“Your family?”

  
“My father is the mayor of Yu Dao!”

  
“Yu Dao…” Zuko took a step back. “The first of the Fire Nation colonies.”

  
“Yes; my home!” the girl yelled at him. “And now you and the Avatar are going to destroy it with your precious Harmony Restoration Movement!”

  
Zuko scowled at her as the back up guards finally came running onto the scene. “We sincerely apologize, Fire Lord! We’ll take the assassin away immediately,” one of the guards bowed while two others hauled the girl to her feet.

  
“Wait,” he said, halting them. “You can arrest her, but we’re going to take her back to her home city. I need to have a little talk with her father.” The girl merely glared at Zuko as he turned away, heading back into his room to prepare for the impromptu journey.

  
He swiftly got dressed, donning his full Fire Lord attire. Before he left, he tucked his hand under the mattress of his bed, taking out the small pile of letters he had collected from Emi. Zuko heaved a sigh as he slipped the bundle into his robes; he had hoped to have been done with this madness by now. But it seemed like there would be no end in sight. Not yet, anyway. _At least she’s safe_ , he thought to himself, stepping out of his room and heading down the hall with his guards in tow. And from the sound of her letters, she was really enjoying her travels. At the end of every entry, though, she would always implore him to get plenty of sleep and eat every meal. Zuko grimaced, knowing that he had hardly done either of those things for months now.

  
It took the rest of the night and the better part of the day, but they eventually made it to the city of Yu Dao. Zuko ushered the young girl along, ignoring the stares of the citizens around him as his guards flanked him on either side.

  
“Stop! _Stop_!”

  
A palanquin halted in the middle of the street, an older man leaping out from within and running toward their group. Zuko’s guards nudged the girl forward, and she collapsed into her father’s arms.

  
“Kori! Where have you been?! Your mother and I were worried sick!” the man exclaimed, holding his daughter. “Wait…who are these men? What are these chains?!”

  
“I went to see someone about our problem, father,” Kori explained darkly.

  
“Who?”

  
“Him,” Kori jerked her head back to where Zuko was stepping forward, his head held high.

  
“F-Fire Lord Zuko!” the man gasped.

  
“You must be Mayor Morishita,” Zuko said grimly. “Your daughter snuck into my home and tried to kill me!”

  
“Kori?!” Morishita stared at his daughter in disbelief.

  
“ _Someone_ had to do _something_!” she argued.

  
Morishita collapsed onto the ground, groveling before Zuko. “My sincerest apologies for my daughter’s rash behavior, Fire Lord! Have mercy!”

  
“I should have this whole place burned down!” Zuko spat, unmoved.

  
“Why bother?!” Kori scowled. “The Harmony Restoration Movement will accomplish the same thing without you having to lift a finger!”

  
“Why can’t you colonials get it through your thick skulls?!” Zuko snapped. “The Harmony Restoration Movement is a means to peace!”

  
“P-peace?” Morishita rose up to his feet, staring at Zuko incredulously. “Peace for whom?! With all due respect, your majesty, my family has lived on this land for generations! This city was built on our blood and sweat! We have as much a right to be here as anyone else!”

  
“You’re Fire Nation citizens! You should live in the Fire Nation!” Zuko retorted.

  
“You’re right, Fire Lord. We are Fire Nation citizens,” Morishita said. “And I’ll tell you this; your father would never have let the Avatar and the Earth King bully him into something so obviously bad for his own nation’s citizens!”

  
Zuko narrowed his eyes at the older man. “My father…?”

  
His mind fled back to the day of his coronation, when he had visited his father in jail. He recalled how his father had mocked him, denying him the answers he needed. But he had offered his advice, knowledge of how to be Fire Lord… Zuko snarled, leaping toward Morishita and slamming the man back against the wall, fire pooling in his hand. “I’m _not_ my father!” he shouted angrily.

  
“No young man, you are not,” Morishita agreed, his face stern. “Fire Lord Ozai had many faults, but he was never a coward! He was never a traitor!”

\- - -

Emi flew high in the sky, reveling in the view she was privy to. The sea air was tantalizing, making her take deep breaths and letting the tang soothe her spirit. She had just recently left Haruka’s old cottage and was flying back toward the Earth Kingdom. The old house had almost been impossible to see with the vegetation and vines taking over the little building. Inside had a thick layer of dust, and it made Emi and Yuuka sneeze numerous times. Despite the neglect, she had felt nostalgic roaming through the small cottage and along the gardens in the back.

  
Now, Emi was simply flying for the sake of flying. She had no clear destination in mind anymore; she had already visited the other three Air Temples and her old home. She had hoped to have heard from Zuko by now, but it seemed the Harmony Restoration Movement was taking a bit longer than they had originally thought it would. Emi sighed; it was only to be expected, really. After a hundred years of war, change was always a delicate thing to handle.

  
She angled her glider, dipping a little lower in the sky. _Where to go now?_ she mused to herself. Perhaps she could go back to Ba Sing Se and visit Iroh. The thought made Emi smile; she hadn’t seen the kindly man in a long time, nor had she had the pleasure of drinking tea and playing Pai Sho with him. So she adjusted her course again, idly wondering if she’d need another passport to enter the city when suddenly she heard a very familiar bellow from behind her.

  
“No way…” Emi muttered, turning her glider around. But sure enough, there they were; Katara, Sokka, and Aang, all riding Appa and waving madly to her. She let out a laugh, flying over to her friends and landing on the saddle with a grin.

  
“Emi!” Katara, Aang, and Sokka exclaimed, dragging her into a hug.

  
“It’s so good to see you guys!” Emi said, pulling back to get a better look at her friends. “It’s been too long!”

  
Yuuka wriggled out of her shawl, leaping toward Momo happily. Both the sugar glider and the lemur bounced all around the saddle, ecstatic to see one another again.

  
“I know! You look so good!” Katara remarked.

  
“Yeah, your hair has finally grown back!” Sokka added.

  
Emi rolled her eyes, tucking a loose strand of her shoulder length hair back behind her ear. It was still too short to be pulled back into a full braid, but she managed to braid the top half, keeping most of the strands out of her face. “Of course you’d make _that_ your first observation after all this time,” she remarked. “So, what’re you guys doing around here? Moving more colonials back to the Fire Nation?”

  
At that her friends fell silent, looking at one another. “Um…did something happen?” Emi asked worriedly.

  
“Yeah. Your boyfriend happened,” Sokka grumbled, crossing his arms.

  
“What are you talking about?”

  
“You mean you don’t know?” Katara asked in return.

  
“Know what?” Emi threw her hands up in the air, shrugging helplessly. “I’ve been isolated from the world for the past nine months! It’s not like I get a whole lot of news that way.”

  
“Zuko’s withdrawn his support of the Harmony Restoration Movement,” Aang said seriously. “He’s barricaded himself in the city of Yu Dao and is not letting anyone in or out.”

  
Emi collapsed back against the saddle, shocked. “Why would he do that?” she wondered aloud.

  
“I don’t know, but he’s gone crazy!” Sokka remarked.

  
“I’m worried that this is the moment,” Aang remarked quietly, almost to himself. “But…I don’t know if I can do it…”

  
“What are you talking about?” Emi asked, raising an eyebrow.

  
Aang flushed, standing up on the saddle. “It’s nothing. I just need to meditate on this,” he said quickly, moving to sit at Appa’s head while holding his wooden beads in his hands.

  
Emi frowned at his back, looking over to Sokka and Katara. “Do you guys know what he was talking about?” she asked them.

  
They grimaced, looking at one another hesitantly. Emi groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Oh for- What happened?”

  
“Emi…please, understand that this is something Zuko wanted. Aang doesn’t want to do it, of course, but…” Katara tried to explain, trailing off halfheartedly.

  
“But what?!” Emi demanded.

  
“Look, after your ceremony and the announcement of the Harmony Restoration Movement, Zuko made Aang promise that if he ever started to show signs of becoming his father, Aang had to end him,” Sokka explained.

  
“…What?” Emi blinked in shock.

  
“Zuko didn’t want you to know. He didn’t want you to worry!” Katara added.

  
“Worry?!” Emi repeated incredulously. “ _I’m_ not worried! Why should I worry about the fact that my boyfriend made a one-sided suicide pact with the Avatar?!”

  
“Emi, please, it’s just as a last resort. Aang doesn’t want to hurt Zuko; they’re friends! That’s why he’s meditating right now. He’s trying to find a way to resolve this without violence,” Katara soothed her friend.

  
“Yeah. We’re headed to Yu Dao to try and talk some sense into Zuko. Maybe if he sees you again, he’ll snap out of it,” Sokka added, shrugging. “But, there is something I don‘t get; why _have_ you been wandering around the world? I thought you were living in the Fire Nation palace.”

  
“I was for a few months,” Emi explained, still tense about what her boyfriend had done. “But after two assassination attempts, Zuko had me leave the palace for my safety. He said he’d come get me when everything had calmed down. But, I guess that things have only gotten worse since I left.” She heaved a sigh, slumping against the side of the saddle.

  
“Well, at least you got to travel around a bit more,” Katara remarked, trying to lighten the mood. “Where did you go?”

  
“I visited the other Air Temples,” Emi said, smiling slightly. “And I visited Haruka’s cottage. That’s where I was coming from when you guys found me. I was just deciding to visit Iroh in Ba Sing Se, since I really had nowhere else I felt like I needed to go.”

  
“Wow. That must have been _so_ much fun,” Sokka said dryly.

  
“I feel like I should be insulted by that, but I find I’ve missed your wit,” Emi replied, smirking.

  
They continued to chat idly as Appa flew toward Yu Dao, Yuuka and Momo still bouncing all around them. Katara and Sokka filled Emi in on their progress with the Harmony Restoration Movement. The younger colonies had been easy to relocate, since they had not had deep roots in the Earth Kingdom. It was the older colonies that had been around for decades that were proving to be a hassle.

  
Despite her joy at seeing her friends again, Emi could not shake the dark mood that now lurked in the back of her mind. She still could not believe Zuko had made such an arrangement, with Aang of all people. How could he doubt himself so much? How could he not see that he was nothing like his father? Emi sighed inwardly; she would just have to prove it to him. Somehow.

  
Before long, they left the expanse of ocean behind and land began to unfold beneath them. Emi looked out over the saddle, smiling at the green landscape; Yu Dao would only be a short ways away. And then…Emi shook her head, a fresh wave of irritation taking her at the thought of confronting her boyfriend.

  
Suddenly, she heard a distant crash. Emi looked below them, wondering what it was when another, louder crash resounded behind them. She, Katara, and Sokka whirled around to see a grinning Toph standing there amongst their bags.

  
“Toph!” they exclaimed, pulling the Earthbender into a hug.

  
“I can’t believe how long it’s been!” Katara said as she hugged the younger girl tightly.

  
“I missed you, too!” Toph remarked.

  
“Hey, I heard you started a Metalbending school!” Sokka said as they pulled back.

  
“The Beifong Metalbending Academy. You guys just flew over it. I heard Appa, so I had to come say hi!” Toph explained.

  
“Wow, we did?” Emi remarked, craning her neck back to catch a glimpse of the school. “That’s amazing! How’s it going?”

  
“Meh.”

  
“I’m so glad you’re here, Toph,” Katara sighed. “Aang needs all the support he can get right now, because of what he might have to-”

  
“Hey, where is Twinkle Toes anyway?” Toph interrupted. She tilted her head for a moment before she smiled. “Oh. There he is.”

  
“Zuko’s changed his mind about the Harmony Restoration Movement,” Katara explained.

  
“You’re kidding,” Toph frowned.

  
“He’s holed himself up in Yu Dao with a bunch of his soldiers,” Sokka added. “He won’t let anyone in or out. That’s where we’re headed.”

  
“So that’s what’s going on!” Toph exclaimed. “The lily livers- I mean, my students were talking about it. Zuko’s starting to act like his old man Ozai then.”

  
“No, he is not,” Emi snapped. “He is _nothing_ like Ozai!”

  
“Okay, Tenderfoot, calm down,” Toph replied. “I’m just saying, this isn’t exactly a plus in his books you know.”

  
“Believe me, I get that,” Emi remarked. “But I’m not going to jump to conclusions. Zuko’s probably doing something he thinks is right. We just need to talk to him. Figure out exactly what that might be.”

  
“In the meantime, Aang’s meditating on what he might have to do,” Katara said, looking over at the stiff posture of the Avatar. “Because of the promise he made.”

  
“Shhh!” Toph shushed Katara. “We’re not supposed to say anything about that!”

  
“I already know all about the deal Zuko and Aang made together, Toph,” Emi said darkly.

  
“Oh. Well okay then,” the girl shrugged, sitting back against the saddle.

  
Aang came out of his meditation as they neared the gates of Yu Dao. He angled Appa down to the ground a short distance away from a group of protesters who were shouting their mantra, “Fire Nation out! Harmony now!” Emi, Katara, and Sokka jumped down from Appa while Aang and Toph took a moment to greet one another.

  
“Isn’t that Smellerbee?” Katara observed, looking at the lanky girl sitting atop Longshot’s shoulders.

  
“Yeah; he’s with the Freedom Fighters!” Sokka mused, looking over at the group.

  
Emi rolled her eyes. “You mean _she’s_ with the Freedom Fighters,” she corrected as Aang and Toph joined them.

  
“Yeah, that’s what I said. She’s with the Freedom Fighters,” Sokka reiterated.

  
Smellerbee turned at their approach, her face breaking into a wide smile. “Look everybody! It’s the Avatar!” The rest of the protestors turned around, cheering and chanting Aang’s name while he waved to them sheepishly. “Aang, we were hoping you would come!” Smellerbee said as she hopped off of Longshot’s shoulders. “So what’s the plan of attack? The Freedom Fighters are at your service!”

  
“I appreciate your confidence, Smellerbee,” Aang said. “But I really just want to talk to Zuko.”

  
“What?!” Smellerbee scoffed. “The time for talking was over as soon as the Fire Lord broke with the Harmony Restoration Movement!” Emi grimaced, biting back the urge to argue with the other girl. “Besides, you’re not getting into that city without a fight. Fire Nation troops are everywhere!”

  
“We’ll break open a new gate for you!” another Freedom Fighter added, his face determined. “Just give us the word!”

  
“That won’t be necessary, Sneers,” Aang assured him. “We’ll find another way in.” He turned to Katara, smiling. “Ready, Sweetie?”

  
“I’m ready, Sweetie,” she replied.

  
Despite herself, Emi grinned at their banter, taking her staff and opening it up at the same time as Aang. Together, they jumped into the air, swiftly flying over the heads of the guards and entering the city of Yu Dao. They landed in the street, where they were immediately met with several Fire Nation soldiers. Katara shifted into a defensive stance while Aang stood with his hands together in respect.

  
“Flameo, Hotmen!” he greeted pleasantly.

  
“This city is under the protection of the Fire Lord himself!” the captain stepped forward, glaring at them. “No one may enter without his express permission; not even the Avatar! Leave now!”

  
“Please, I’d like to talk to Fire Lord Zuko. That’s all,” Aang said calmly.

  
“You were warned.” The man shot out his hand, flames flying toward Aang. He neatly leapt into the air, dodging the attack. The soldier kicked out with another streak of fire, making Aang retreat only for him to grimace and slam his foot into the ground. Rocks jutted up, catching the man’s foot. Aang punched out with his hand, making more rocks rise up to enclose the soldier and pin him down.

  
“I don’t want to fight!” Aang insisted.

  
“What are you dolts waiting for?!” the captain barked at the rest of the soldiers. “Attack!”

  
The rest of the men snapped out of their frozen daze, racing toward the Avatar with determination. Aang leaped around their fire, dodging their attacks with swift speed and agility. Katara and Emi watched on the sidelines, tense and worried.

  
“Aang!” Katara called out when one soldier seemed to come too close to lighting her boyfriend on fire.

  
“Don’t worry, Sweetie, I can handle them!” Aang assured her. “Just give me a sec!”

  
Katara and Emi exchanged glances as Aang continued to evade the Firebenders. His tactics seemed to finally irritate the soldiers, for they gathered together to shoot simultaneous fire blasts. Aang leapt out of the way, but not without repercussions.

  
“Aang, you’re on fire!” Emi called out to him.

  
“What’d you say?” he called back, his eyes trained on the soldiers.

  
“Your clothes, they’re on-” Katara grimaced, opening her water skin. “Oh for crying out loud.” She bent the water forward, dousing the flames that had caught on Aang’s tunic.

  
“Oh, thanks!” Aang remarked.

  
“That’s it.” Katara gathered the water from a nearby trough, her sharp blue eyes focused on the soldiers. “Stop,” the water went catapulting toward the men, making them scatter, “trying,” one was caught moments later, Katara freezing the water and pinning them in place, “to,” she flung out another stream of water, freezing a soldier against the wall next to his comrade, “set,” she aimed more water at the retreating men, freezing one’s foot against the ground and making him stumble, “my,” more ice flew through the air, catching the men, “ _boyfriend_ ,” Katara sent a freezing ball of snow, hitting another soldier in the head, “on,” one last snowball hit the remaining soldier, sending him to the ground, “fire!”

  
Emi and Aang looked around the courtyard at the trapped soldiers, dazed and in groaning heaps. “Whoa,” Aang remarked.

  
“Aang, you okay?” Katara asked, walking back over to them.

  
“I’m fine,” he replied.

  
Just then, another soldier came running up to them, intent on dispatching them himself until Katara swept up the puddles of water all over the ground, creating ice shards that effectively stopped the older man in his tracks.

  
“Can’t you people give it a rest?!” she demanded. “He just wants to talk!”

  
Suddenly, Katara was grabbed from behind by none other than Zuko himself. “Katara, stop!” he ordered.

  
Emi blinked; he looked far more haggard and worn out than when she had last seen him. He also didn’t appear to have noticed her.

  
“Let go, Zuko!” Katara demanded, wriggling in his grip. “You’re hurting me! Don’t make me hurt you back!”

  
“ _I’m_ hurting _you_?!” Zuko snapped. “What are you doing to my soldiers?! My people?!”

  
“Let go of her, Zuko!” Aang yelled, furious. “She said you’re hurting her!”

  
“First, she has to agree to stop attacking my people!” Zuko shot back.

  
“Your soldiers attacked first! Let her go now!”

  
“I am the Fire Lord! I have to protect the citizens of the Fire Nation!”

  
“Zuko!” Emi yelled, making him turn around in surprise.

  
“Emi?!” He looked shocked to see her. “What are you-?”

  
“Katara is your friend!” Emi overrode his question. “Aang is your friend! They just want to talk! Let her go, now!”

  
Zuko wavered before his face settled into a grim determination. Emi groaned inwardly; he was not going to back down. Impatient, Aang sucked in a deep breath and let loose a powerful blast of air, knocking Zuko away from Katara. The young Fire Lord leapt back to his feet, punching out fireballs while Aang blocked them with two waves of water.

  
“Zuko, stop!” Emi demanded.

  
“I came here to talk to you, Zuko!” Aang yelled to him, “As a friend! But you’ve changed; you’ve forgotten what we fought for!” His eyes and tattoos began to glow, and Emi’s heart clenched within her chest. “ **Maybe Avatar Roku is right. Maybe a promise is a promise**.” A whirlwind of air began to gather around him. Katara rushed toward Aang while Emi and Zuko stood back, looking on apprehensively.

  
“Aang! Stop!” she pleaded with him. “If you enter the Avatar State in such an emotional way, you won’t be able to control yourself!” Katara reached up, holding his face tenderly. “You have to calm down. Please, Sweetie. For me.

  
Aang seemed to hang in the air, suspended between his choices for a moment before the glow faded away and he sank back to the ground, leaning against Katara. “I can’t believe it,” he muttered regretfully. “I might’ve done something terrible without even thinking it through. Zuko, I’m so-”

  
“Katara and Emi are right,” Zuko interrupted anxiously. “We both need to calm down. And talk.”

  
“Are you kidding me?!” Aang scowled. “ _That’s what I wanted in the first place!_ ”

  
Zuko winced. “I know. I’m sorry. Let’s just…allow me to show you around and explain myself. Please.”

  
Aang grumbled but nodded tersely. Zuko sighed and turned back to Emi. Before he could say anything else, she delivered a sharp slap to his face.

  
“ _Ow_! What was that for?!” he demanded.

  
“ _That_ was for not telling me about your stupid promise, Fire Lord!” Emi snapped. Zuko’s anger swiftly dissolved at that.

  
“Emi, I just-”

  
“I don’t want to hear it!” she waved away his excuses. “I already know what you’re going to say and frankly, it’s a bunch of crap! You. Are. _Not_. Your. Father! And you are not going to use Aang as some crutch! Got it?!”

  
Without waiting for an answer, Emi stormed off, Katara, Aang, and Zuko trialing along behind her.


	3. A Mixing Pot of Trouble

A Mixing Pot of Trouble

“Did you know that Yu Dao is the oldest of all the colonies?” Zuko asked as they walked through the streets of the city. “Many of the Fire Nation families immigrated here over a hundred years ago, when Yu Dao was just a tiny village at the bottom of a valley.” He gestured to a few of the citizens they passed as they went about their daily lives. “Together with the Earth Kingdom people who were already here, they built all this. Yu Dao now makes the finest metalwork ever produced, using both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom expertise. That‘s why this is one of the richest cities in the world.”

  
Emi, Katara, and Aang followed the young Fire Lord, looking around at the people they passed. Despite her anger with Zuko, Emi couldn’t help but start to see what he saw when it came to the city.

  
“It doesn’t seem like the Fire Nation citizens and the Earth Kingdom citizens share equality in that wealth,” Katara remarked as they passed by a Fire Nation man getting his shoes polished by an Earth Kingdom citizen.

  
“It’s not perfect, Katara,” Zuko said. “But all the city’s people, including the Earth Kingdom people, are better off now than they were a hundred years ago.”

  
“The history lesson is great and all,” Aang spoke up. “But none of that matters! By betraying the Harmony Restoration Movement, you’re going to start another war!”

  
“Look, Aang, when I came here a week ago, I had planned to personally enforce the removal of Yu Dao from the Earth Kingdom!” Zuko retorted tiredly. “But then…”

  
_“Fire Lord Ozai had many faults, but he was never a coward! He was never a traitor!”_

  
_“You’ll regret saying that old man,” Zuko promised. “Guards! Seize him!”_

  
_Just as the soldiers went to do as their Fire Lord demanded, a large slab of rock jutted up from the ground, blocking their way toward Morishita._

  
_“Who-?” Zuko muttered, turning around to see an older woman standing behind them, her face grim._

  
_“Fire Lord, please! Forgive my husband’s foolishness! I’ve told him time and time again to control his tongue, but he never does!” the woman pleaded with Zuko._

  
_His eyes widened in shock. “_ You’re _Mayor Morishita’s wife?! An Earthbender…?”_

  
_“Yes, I’m an Earthbender,” the woman confirmed, flicking her wrist up. “As is our daughter.” Another spike of rock sprouted from the ground, breaking the chains around Kori’s wrist. She immediately flung her hands out, calling to her rock and chain weapon and holding it with fierce intensity._

  
_“I may be an Earthbender, but through my father’s bloodline I am a Fire Nation citizen!” Kori declared. “My father taught me to always be loyal to the Fire Nation, to my people! Something_ you _obviously never learned from_ your _father!”_

  
_“Would Your Majesty be willing to stay in Yu Dao for a few days?” Kori’s mother asked, bowing respectfully. “It would be an honor for us to show the Fire Lord our way of life.”_

  
“So…that’s why you stayed in Yu Dao?” Emi asked.

  
“Yes,” Zuko replied. “I saw what my people created here. I saw what the Harmony Restoration Movement would destroy. I changed my mind. Ever since my coronation, I’ve had trouble finding peace. Now, I think I’ve finally figured out why. I’d forgotten about my people.” He turned back then, his sharp gaze trained on Aang. “I know you defeated the Fire Nation, Aang. But my people still deserve respect!”

  
“ _I_ defeated the Fire _Nation_?!” Aang repeated indignantly. “ _We_ defeated the Fire _Lord_!”

  
“It’d be disrespectful to take from them a life they spent generations building!” Zuko shot back. “I won’t let you do it!”

  
“Harmony requires four _separate_ nations to balance each other out!” Aang snapped. “You can’t have balance if one nation occupies another!”

  
Distantly, Emi heard the sound of people approaching. She and Katara turned to see the Mayor and his family standing nearby, looking on with grim faces. Emi frowned slightly, thinking back to her own family while Katara sighed.

  
“Maybe…Yu Dao can be an exception,” she mused softly.

  
“What?!” Aang demanded, spinning around to stare at his girlfriend in shock.

  
“It’s just a thought,” Katara shrugged sheepishly.

  
“Exceptions should be made for all the remaining colonies!” Zuko said. “Most of them have been around for well over a century. They’re older than you, Aang!”

  
“You have got to be joking!” Aang scoffed. “That would make peace impossible!”

  
“Well, regardless, the Earth King needs to be a part of whatever happens next,” Katara quickly said as it looked like Aang and Zuko would start fighting again. “If Aang and I can arrange a meeting, will you be there, Zuko?”

  
“I’ll be there,” Zuko promised.

  
“Talking’s good. I guess,” Aang muttered.

  
“Are…you staying here Emi?” Katara asked uncertainly. Emi opened her mouth to say yes, but Zuko overrode her.

  
“No. She’ll be going with you guys,” he said.

  
Emi scowled. “Fine. But I need to talk to you before I leave.” She turned to Aang and Katara. “You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up.”

  
They both nodded as Aang opened his glider, taking Katara with him as they leapt up into the air. Beside her, Zuko sighed.

  
“Going to slap me again, Emi?” he asked bitterly.

  
“No,” Emi said, feeling a trickle of guilt. “I’m…sorry about my reaction. It’s just-” She ran a hand through her hair. “It drove me crazy to know you did something like that!”

  
“I need the assurance that if I ever do start to become like my father, then I will be stopped before it’s too late,” Zuko said wearily. “The world cannot handle another war.”

  
“Then you’re really teasing fate by going against the Harmony Restoration Movement,” Emi remarked under her breath.

  
Zuko scowled. “Of all people, I was sure _you’d_ at least understand what I mean by doing this!”

  
Emi sighed and raised her hand to caress his cheek softly. She frowned as she felt the sharp jutting of bone under his skin. “You’ve barely been sleeping again, haven’t you?” she asked, irritated.

  
“Don’t change the subject,” Zuko snapped, but it was a halfhearted effort.

  
“I do understand what you’re talking about, Zuko,” Emi said. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. But I’m just worried that this is going to be taken the wrong way. When you talk with King Kuei and Aang, just make sure you explain yourself clearly.”

  
“How much clearer can I be?!” Zuko demanded.

  
Emi merely looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “Get some sleep, Zuko. And eat. You’re wasting away.”

  
“Sorry if I find it difficult to sleep when people are trying to kill me!” he snapped.

  
“There’s been more attempts on your life?” Emi asked incredulously. At his stiff nod, she sighed. “Look, maybe I can arrange for some help. How would you feel if you had the Kiyoshi Warriors as your guards?”

  
“Really? And how are you going to contact them?” Zuko asked.

  
“I’ll ask Mai to get in touch with Ty Lee,” Emi said, opening her glider. “I’m sure she and Suki and the others will be perfectly happy to help out.”

  
“Since when did you become friends with Mai?!”

  
“We’re not friends per se. More like…friendly acquaintances,” Emi remarked with a shrug. “She still cares about you. Enough to not want you dead, at least.”

  
“Comforting…” he muttered.

  
Emi smiled and kissed him lightly. “Stay safe, Fire Lord. And get some rest.”

  
Before she could jump into the air, though, Zuko held her back with a hand on her shoulder. “Emi, if you could…could you try to explain to Aang and the others what I’m doing here? They’re probably thinking I’m just turning into my father. And maybe I am-”

  
“No you’re not,” Emi interrupted him, irritated.

  
Zuko frowned. “Still, they’ll listen to you. You’re not biased.”

  
“Well, technically since I am your girlfriend…” Emi trailed off, smirking lightly.

  
“Just…try. Please,” Zuko implored.

  
“Okay,” Emi said. “As long as you try to get plenty of rest. And for the love of all that is holy, eat something!”

  
“Okay,” Zuko said, his lips twitching in a smile. He stepped back and allowed Emi to take off into the air. It didn’t take long for her to catch up to Appa as the sky bison flew through the skies. She promptly dropped down onto the saddle next to her friends.

  
“I don’t totally get why you guys need to talk to the Earth King,” Toph was saying as Emi situated herself. “Zuko knows he’s wrong, doesn’t he? The Fire Nation colonies have got to go!”

  
Emi grimaced, but held her tongue. “It’s complicated, Toph,” Katara explained. “There are…a lot of…issues involved.”

  
“Plus, talking’s always good,” Aang remarked. “Right?”

  
The others merely looked at one another, frowning.

  
“It’s the right thing to do,” Emi said. “Let both sides explain their views and then a compromise can be made.”

  
“What’s to explain?” Toph scoffed. “The colonies need to be leave the Earth Kingdom! How can Zuko justify them staying?”

  
“It’s like Katara said,” Emi replied, stamping down her irritation. “There’s issues involved. Especially with the older colonies who have been around for decades. It’s hard to uproot that sort of life.”

  
Toph shook her head but fell silent. For a few minutes, none of them said anything else until Aang turned to Katara.

  
“Sweetie, when we were back there…thank you for not letting me do something I’d regret,” he said sincerely.

  
“If you ever have to…you know…” Katara glanced over at Emi quickly, looking guilty, “fulfill your promise…you can’t let it happen like that. You have to be calm enough to know you’re making the right decision.” She sighed, shifting over to hug him tightly. “I just hate seeing you like that, Sweetie.”

  
“Um, Aang, Katara? You’re giving me the oogies over here!” Sokka spoke up, shuddering.

  
Katara scowled and glared over at her brother. “ _Argh_! I am so _sick_ of hearing about your stupid ‘oogies’ Sokka!” she snapped. “I don’t even know what that means!”

  
“Yeah, I’ve never even heard that before,” Emi remarked, raising an eyebrow.

  
“I can explain. Give me your hand, Katara,” Toph said. Katara frowned but held out her hand as requested. Toph immediately grabbed onto it and licked it wetly. Katara cringed in disgust.

  
“ _Oogie_!” she shrieked, yanking her hand back while Toph laughed.

  
Aang moved over to sit next to Emi, looking pensive. “Emi, I just want to say…I don’t want to hurt Zuko. But, if it really comes down to it, if he really does start showing signs of becoming his father, you know I’ll have to make good on my promise. Don’t you?”

  
Emi frowned. “Why does it have to come to that? Why couldn’t you just do to him what you did to Ozai?”

  
“It’s different with Zuko,” Aang said. “He wouldn’t be using his bending to oppress people. He’d be using his power as Fire Lord. It wouldn’t be enough to just take away his bending.”

  
“Emi.” She snapped her eyes to Sokka, his face grim. “If it really does come to Zuko needing to be taken out, you’re not going to stand in Aang’s way. Are you?”

  
“It’s not going to come to that-” Emi tried to deny, but Sokka overrode her.

  
“Will you stand in Aang’s way if he needs to kill Zuko?” he demanded.

  
“I…” Emi looked away, her heart sinking. “I don’t want to answer that right now…”

  
“Why? Because you will?!” Sokka asked incredulously.

  
“Sokka, leave her alone!” Katara scolded her brother.

  
“Because if it really came down to that…I probably wouldn’t,” Emi said tensely. “And that scares me.”

\- - -

Zuko shuddered awake, his wide eyes trying to see through the gloom of his room. He was back in the Fire Nation. Back in his palace tower. Despite his assurances to Emi he had hardly eaten anything that day, and he could barely sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could feel was a sense of danger looming close by. He shoved his blankets aside and got up, peering out the doorway and looking around.

  
“Do you hear anything?”

  
“No, Zuko, it’s been quiet all night,” Suki assured him.

  
“Honest to goodness, there hasn’t been a peep!” Ty Lee added.

  
Zuko frowned and stepped fully out of his room, looking down each end of the hall. “I’m sorry, it’s not that I don’t trust you,” he said, turning to the two girls. “I know the Kiyoshi Warriors are the best guardsmen in the world.”

  
“Guards _women_ you mean!” Ty Lee remarked.

  
“Go back to sleep,” Suki urged him. “You have to at least try.”

  
“No,” Zuko said shortly, running a hand over his face. “I’m going to get a drink of water.”

  
“Do you need someone to escort you?”

  
“I’ll be fine. The walk will do me some good,” he insisted, stepping away from the warriors and moving out of their sight. However, instead of getting a simple glass of water, he prepared a bundle to carry a tea kettle, cups, and a tray. After shrugging on his cloak, he took a lamp and headed out into the night.

  
Before long, he came to the prison tower and made his way through the winding halls, opening the door to one cell and entering the darkness inside. He knelt before the iron bars, pouring out the steaming tea into each cup. A hand reached through the bars to take their cup while Zuko bowed his head, gritting his teeth.

  
“…I…need your advice. Father."


	4. Pick Your Side

Pick Your Side

Emi glanced over at Aang and Katara as they sat close together, simply leaning against one another and holding hands. Their tender display was sweet, though it made her miss Zuko a lot. She hadn’t expected their reunion after nine months to be so tense and harsh.

  
Sokka, on the other hand, seemed aggravated by their public display of affection.

  
“Ugh,” he muttered under his breath.

  
“What? Everybody does it!” Toph remarked. Emi whipped her head around; surely she couldn’t be talking about Aang and Katara. _Ah, of course,_ Emi thought to herself, amused. Toph was just picking her nose.

  
“I was talking about them, not y-” Sokka began to say until he saw what Toph was doing. “Oh. You, too.”

  
“Hey, there’s your school, Toph,” Emi said, looking down at the large building as it came into view.

  
“Oh, good,” Toph said, standing up. “Well, it’s been fun guys, but I gotta get back to my school.”

  
“Leaving already, Toph?” Katara asked, looking back.

  
“Yeah. Someone’s gotta keep the lily livers- I mean, my students in line.”

  
“Wait! You can’t leave me alone with them!” Sokka pleaded in an undertone. “The oogie-osity’s only gonna get worse after you’re gone! How am I supposed to keep my food down?!”

  
“You won’t be alone. Emi’s here,” Toph remarked, raising an eyebrow.

  
“Oh, she doesn’t care about their oogies!” he snapped, glaring over at Emi with a betrayed expression. She merely shrugged, smirking.

  
“Well, you could come with me,” Toph suggested.

  
“No, no,” Sokka waved the idea away until he gasped with inspiration. “Hey! How about I go with you?”

  
“Great idea, Sokka,” Toph muttered. “Wish I’d thought of it.”

  
“Hey guys? I’m going with Toph. To check out her school. Not because you two are giving the oogies or anything,” Sokka said, standing up on the saddle next to Toph.

  
“Hmm?” Katara mused, looking around at Sokka. “Oh! That sounds good. We’ll pick you up on the way back from Ba Sing Se.”

  
Aang nodded in agreement, jumping forward to take the reins. “Hold on, guys! Just give Appa a second to land.”

  
“Don’t bother Twinkle Toes. We’re close enough to the ground,” Toph said, sniffing the air. “I can smell the trees near my school. Come on!”

  
Sokka sniffed the air as well, perplexed until Toph grabbed his arm and prepared to jump out of the saddle. “Hey, isn’t that the hand you were using to pick your-?” Sokka began to ask until he was yanked out of the saddle, both he and Toph plummeting to the ground. Emi couldn’t help but grin as Sokka cried out while Toph Earthbended the ground to rise up and make a slide for them.

  
For the rest of the afternoon, Aang, Katra, and Emi flew through the skies, making their way to Ba Sing Se. Off and on they would talk, exchanging old stories and the like, but it became apparent to Emi quickly that Katara and Aang seemed to prefer just sitting together and holding one another. She was almost starting to see why Sokka would rather jump off of Appa with a blind Earthbender than stay with them.

  
At long last, the large city sprawled out beneath them. Emi grinned as they easily flew over the walls; it really did pay to be friends with the Avatar.

  
“Find yourself a nice, quiet hill to spend the night, okay buddy?” Aang said to his bison as they prepared to take off. “I’ll whistle for you tomorrow after our meeting with the Earth King.”

  
Appa grumbled in response. Emi and Aang stood up to unfurl their gliders and jump into the air. Katara held on to Aang’s while they flew, Momo and Yuuka zooming alongside them. They drifted down to the streets of Ba Sing Se, neatly landing amongst the citizens.

  
“Now _we_ have to find a place to spend the night,” Aang remarked.

  
“I’m sure Iroh has a couple of spare rooms,” Katara said, looking around at their surroundings. “Do either of you remember how to get to his tea shop from here?”

  
“Hmm…” Emi mused. “I’m pretty sure we go-”

  
“Oh my gosh! Is it, like, really you?"

  
“Eek!”

  
The three of them turned around to see two girls approaching, staring at Aang with reverence. They wore elegant robes with a likeness of Aang stitched onto the front.

  
“I can’t, like, believe it?” the taller of the two said, grinning at them. “It’s really you, with your flying lemur and everything? I had, like, this recurring dream where I’d wake up and you’d just be there, all magically and stuff? I’d be like, ‘wow you’re really here?’ But then I’d be like ‘oh no, it’s just a dream?’ But now, it’s real and everything? So, like, wow?”

  
“Eek!” her friend squealed.

  
“I’m sorry,” Aang said, confused. “Have we met…?”

  
“Oh my gosh!” the first girl exclaimed. “It’s, like, me who should be sorry? I’m Hei-Won, co-president and co-founder of the Official Avatar Aang Fan Club, Ba Sing Se chapter? And this is Won-Yee, my fellow co-president and co-founder? Can I just say, your lemur is, like, sooo cute? And we’re, like, totally fans of you, too?” Hei-Won looked from Aang to Emi while Won-Yee continued to squeal in the background.

  
“Wow!” Aang looked back at Katara. “Did you hear that? They started a fan club for me!”

  
“Wonderful,” Katara remarked dryly.

  
“Nice to meet you both!” Aang said, bowing to the girls. “I’m Aang, and my lemur’s name is Momo.”

  
Momo chattered, jumping from Aang’s shoulder to fly around their heads, making the girls squeal with delight. “Momo is, like, the cutest name ever?” Hei-Won said.

  
“And this is Emi,” Aang continued, gesturing to her. Emi smiled and bowed to them, Yuuka popping her head up from her shawl. The girls squealed when they saw the little sugar glider.

  
“Oh my gosh, like, what kind of cutie is that?” Hei-Won asked.

  
“This is Yuuka, my sugar glider,” Emi replied as her pet crawled around onto her shoulder. She blinked her large eyes, which made the girls coo.

  
“Ahem,” Katara coughed behind them pointedly.

  
“Oh! And this is Katara!” Aang introduced her.

  
“ _Ahem_.”

  
“My _girlfriend_ Katara.”

  
“Hi,” Katara said, waving at the girls uncertainly.

  
“What an honor it is to meet Avatar Aang’s first girlfriend!” Won-Yee said, bowing to Katara.

  
“Why thank you, I- wait, what do you mean, ‘first’?”

  
Won-Yee merely grinned up at Katara mischievously, making the girl grab Aang and start to steer him away. “Uh…Aang, Emi? We should get going. It’s getting late, and we need to find a place-”

  
“Oh my gosh! Are you guys, like, looking for a place to stay?” Hei-Won asked them before they could get far. “It’d be sooo amazing if you, like, stayed at our clubhouse?” She turned, pointing down the opposite end of where they had been heading. “Um, it’s just down the street? And we, like, made it look like the Western Air Temple, because most of our club members are girls and everything?”

  
“Really?” Emi asked, intrigued despite the obvious worshiping of these girls.

  
“Wow! I’d love to see it!” Aang exclaimed.

  
Emi looked back at Katara who wore an expression of annoyance. But they all followed the girls regardless, and before long the clubhouse was revealed. Emi and Aang stood there, looking at one another as they took in the small building, its worn down façade and odd decorations here and there nothing like the Air Temple itself.

  
“You said this is modeled after the Western Air Temple?” Aang asked uncertainly.

  
“Um, yeah? Won-Yee did, like, all the decorating? To make it look upside down and everything? Like how the real temple is?” Hei-Won said proudly, blushing a little. “Do you, like, like it?”

  
The two Airbenders exchanged another look before bowing to the girls. “We love it!” Aang said. “Thank you, Official Avatar Aang Fan Club! I’m flattered!”

  
The girls grinned at one another and led the way inside. “Well, let’s go check it out,” Emi remarked to the other two as she followed the girls.

  
“Can’t wait,” Katara retorted.

\- - -

Despite all the girls fawning over Aang as they stayed at the clubhouse, Emi ended up actually enjoying herself. Their exuberance was a bit much at times, but it was clear they had a high respect for the Air Nation culture, and they did everything they could to make Aang and Emi feel at home.

  
It was the following morning, and Aang and Emi were currently showing them different Airbending tricks.

  
“And this is the technique I called air scooter!” Aang said as he hovered above the ground on the large air ball. “I invented it while I was training at the Southern Air Temple. It’s part of how I earned my tattoos!”

  
“Look at him go!” “Wow!” “How do they do that?” “Avatar Aang is sooo dreamy!” The girls surrounding them gasped and clapped, smiling widely at the tricks.

  
“And here’s a brand-new technique I’ve been working on!” Aang said, jumping down from his air scooter and moving his hands around. “First, I make a handful of air marbles…” He then let out a powerful blast of air, expanding the marbles into large air balls underneath the girls. “And then I turn them into air scooters!” The girls squealed with delight as they hovered above the ground on the myriad of air scooters, laughing and cheering.

  
“That’s amazing, Aang!” Emi remarked as the air dissipated and the girls could stand once more. “But check this out; I’ve made a bit of an adjustment to your air scooter trick.” Emi leapt up into the air, somersaulting around and kicking up a powerful wind that turned into a hoop of swirling air that she zoomed around the room on. The girls ooh-ed and awe-ed while Momo flew around, chasing after her.

  
“Wow!” Aang said as she dropped back down to the floor next to him. “Where’d you get the idea for that?”

  
“Remember the guru you went to visit at the Eastern Air Temple?” Emi asked. “I met him myself when I visited a few months ago. He’s very knowledgeable. And inventive!”

  
“Um, Avatar Aang?” They both turned as Hei-Won approached them, another girl close behind her.

  
“Good morning, Hei-Won!” Aang greeted. “Come join the fun!”

  
“I’d like to, like, introduce you to somebody? This is my fellow co-president and co-founder Yee-Li? She’s wanted to meet you since, like, forever?”

  
“Another co-president and co-founder?” Emi remarked, raising an eyebrow. “How many of you are there?” At that, all of the girls in the room raised their hands. “Oh,” she said, blinking in surprise.

  
“It’s such an honor, Avatar Aang,” Yee-Li said, smiling. “I want to show you something I bought from a traveling merchant a couple years ago.” She reached into her pocket and drew out a large, wooden musical instrument. It looked very old, but very well cared for.

  
Aang let out a gasp of surprise. “Wow! An Airbender’s flute! Monk Gyatso used to have one just like this!”

  
“I just knew it had to be from the Air Nomads! Do you know how to play?”

  
Aang did indeed know how to play. The crisp, lilting tunes that spilled from the flute as he played expertly made all the girls in the room laugh and dance together, Momo and Yuuka flying around the group in time with the rhythm. Emi couldn’t help buy sway with the music as well, laughing along with everyone else. It was only when she looked into a corner that she saw Katara sitting against the wall, looking sulky.

  
Emi drifted over to her friend, feeling guilty; she had completely forgotten that Katara was even there. “Hey, let’s dance!” Emi suggested enthusiastically.

  
“No thanks,” Katara replied tersely. “We should really get going. We do still have to see the Earth King, you know.”

  
“Oh,” Emi muttered sheepishly. “Right.”

  
Katara stood up to collect Aang, and before long they were all leaving the little club house, Emi and Aang waving to the girls as they did so.

  
“Well, you certainly seemed to enjoy those girls’ attention,” Katara remarked to her boyfriend as they walked down the streets.

  
“Weren’t they amazing?!” Aang replied, completely missing the jealous tone in Katara’s voice. “I know it’s just a silly fan club, but for a moment there, it almost felt like…like I was home again. With my people. And I’m so glad you got to experience that, too, Emi.” He sighed, smiling. “Thanks for agreeing to stay there for the night, Sweetie. It meant the world to me.”

  
Katara was silent for a moment, her head bowed. “Don’t thank me, Aang,” she finally said. “I don’t deserve it.”

  
Aang frowned at that but didn’t say anything else. Emi walked beside Katara, laying her hand on her shoulder and smiling sympathetically. Together they continued down the streets of Ba Sing Se, heading toward the palace of the Earth King.

\- - -

Zuko returned to his father’s cell with more tea, as promised. He had dismissed the little story his father had recounted the previous night, about when he had been a child and tried to save a turtle crab from a hungry hawk, but then became indecisive about what he had done since the hawk needed to eat as well. Zuko had not deemed the information as relevant to his current predicament, but as he had stayed up all throughout the night, thinking, it occurred to him that perhaps his father had not just been spinning an idle family memory after all.

  
“I stayed up all night thinking about what you said,” Zuko told his father as the older man drank from his tea cup. “At the beach, I was overwhelmed by my circumstances because I couldn’t decide whose side to take. I should have sided with the hawk. It was strong and noble, much like the Fire Nation. It had earned its meal.

  
“But I’ve already done that, father!” he insisted. “I’m no longer neglecting the needs of my own people, as I did when I first took the throne! And I _still_ can’t sleep!”

  
“You’re only partially correct in your assessment,” Ozai remarked. “Your sleeplessness does indeed stem from your inability to choose sides, to choose what is right. But you’re wrong about the hawk.”

  
“So… you’re saying I should have defended the turtle crab? I should have sided with the weaker of the two?”

  
“What I’m saying is this; there is no right or wrong apart from what you decide. Who you choose to defend deserves to be defended simply because you chose them. You are the Fire Lord. What you choose, by definition, is right.”

  
Zuko frowned, looking down at the ground for a moment before raising his gaze back up to his father’s. “No. Right and wrong are bigger than me, or you, or even the Avatar! And I believe that the Avatar, the Earth King, and I can come closest to what’s right by working together!”

  
“I’ve heard rumors about this little meeting of yours. Among other things,” Ozai sneered. “Do you think the Earth King, after being humiliated time and time again by our mighty nation and his own incompetence, will be reasonable? Do you think he’ll treat the remaining colonials fairly?” Ozai chuckled darkly. “In an attempt to restore his own dignity, he’ll send out his army to crush them! If you truly are the Fire Lord, you will defend the Fire Nation citizens of Yu Dao ferociously! Not simply because they are your people, but because they are an expression of your will!”

  
“I’m going to wait, and my patience will be rewarded with a peaceful resolution for everyone!” Zuko said, determined. “Even as we speak, the Avatar-”

  
“The Avatar is an irrelevant relic of a bygone age!” Ozai snapped. “He wants to keep the world frozen in time by denying the inevitable victory of the strong over the weak!”

  
“Avatar Aang is my friend! More often than not, he’s been on the side that’s right! I trust him.”

  
“More than you trust yourself?”

  
Zuko fell silent, unable to answer that. His father scoffed and stood up, peering down at his son with all the regal power that he had once possessed. “You sicken me, Zuko. Placing your faith, your heart, in those Airbenders. Leave my presence.”

  
Zuko eyes widened, shocked and angry. “Who are you to talk to me this way?!” he demanded. “Have you forgotten your current place in-”

  
“ _Leave. My. Presence_!” Ozai yelled.

  
Zuko grit his jaw, promptly gathering up the tea supplies and swiftly leaving his father’s jail cell. He stalked out of the prison, furious with his father. And with himself.

  
Above, Suki looked down at the Fire Lord’s retreating form, her expression worried.

\- - -

Aang, Katara, and Emi bowed before the Earth King as they entered his throne room. “Greetings, Earth King Kuei!” Aang said, smiling up at the man before them.

  
“Avatar Aang! Lady Airbender Emi! Katara of the Southern Water Tribe!” Kuei stood, grinning down at them. “It’s been much too long! I heard you were in the Earth Kingdom dealing with the situation in Yu Dao. Thank you for all your help with the removal of that colony! The remaining few seem to be more difficult than-”

  
“Actually, Yu Dao still stands,” Emi said, politely interrupting the king.

  
“For now,” Aang muttered.

  
“That’s why we’re here, Your Majesty,” Katara added. “We’d like to set up a meeting between you and Fire Lord Zuko.”

  
“So then, the Fire Lord persists in denying the Movement his support,” Kuei mused, frowning. “He wants to keep his colonies!”

  
“Earth King Kuei, I’m on your side!” Aang assured the man. “The people of the Fire Nation don’t belong in your kingdom, so the Harmony Restoration Movement has to continue! With a little convincing, I’m sure Fire Lord Zuko-”

  
“Fire Lord Zuko has legitimate concerns about his citizens,” Emi overrode Aang. “I know it doesn’t seem right to just leave them there, but you can’t deny that it’s hard to uproot one’s family after several generations of living in the same city! Especially when those families are interconnected with both Fire Nation _and_ Earth Kingdom blood!”

  
“We really need to sit down and talk through our options,” Katara said. “Maybe there’s something we missed.”

  
Kuei frowned, looking off to the side pensively. “I’ll need some time to think this through. Please, allow me to grant you a nice, hearty meal while you wait.”

  
The three of them nodded in agreement, and before long they were sitting at an exquisite dining table with Momo, Yuuka, and Bosco the bear, digging into a very filling meal. They each kept trying different dishes and insisting the others try the dish as well.

  
“Mm!” Aang closed his eyes in delight at the delicacy he was currently working on. “Sweetie, you have to try this!”

  
“I’m still working on these delicious pan-fried noodles!” Katara replied, scooping up the food.

  
“This is the best tofu I’ve ever tasted!” Emi added. Next to her, Yuuka turned her nose up at the food while Momo munched away enthusiastically. Just then, Kuei approached them.

  
“Avatar Aang, Emi, Katara; thank you for giving me time to ponder out present situation,” he said with a small smile.

  
“No problem your Earthiness!” Aang remarked. “Thank _you_ for dinner! So, when should we set up our meeting with Fire Lord Zuko?”

  
“I’m sorry, but you’re not going to like what I have to say,” Kuei replied grimly. Emi gulped, her heart clenching unpleasantly. “All my life I’ve been weak; so weak that my most trusted adviser was able to hide a hundred years’ war behind a curtain of lies! Well, I’m tired of being weak! It’s time for me to be a man!”

  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Katara demanded.

  
“Fire Lord Zuko promised he would see the Harmony Restoration Movement to the very end,” Kuei continued, scowling. “Now he’s turned his promise into a lie! Why should I meet with him? So he can tell me more lies?! I will _not_ stand for any more lies! I will order General How to lead my troops to Yu Dao and enforce harmony!”

  
Emi stood up, enraged. “ _Enforce_ harmony?! Do you even hear yourself right now?!”

  
“Please, Earth King Kuei!” Aang pleaded, he and Katara standing up as well. “Sending your army there will be seen as a declaration of war!”

  
“The Fire Nation residents of Yu Dao will either leave my kingdom peacefully, or face the most dire of consequences!” Kuei replied, turning his back on them. “That is my decision! If you are not with me, Avatar Aang, I can only assume that you are against me!”

  
Before they knew it, they had been escorted off the palace property. Emi was scowling, furious with the Earth King’s blatant disregard to their attempts at peace. The three of them ran through the streets until they got to a relatively empty area. There Aang blew his bison whistle, calling Appa.

  
“We have to get back to Yu dao!” Aang said as the sky bison landed nearby. “The sooner the better! Hopefully, we can convince the Fire Nation colonists to evacuate before General How gets there.”

  
He grabbed Katara by the waist, lifting her up onto the saddle with Emi jumping up after them. “Those people would be leaving their homes…maybe even their families,” Katara remarked worriedly. “Aang, what happens if they refuse to go?”

  
Aang didn’t reply for a moment, his face grim. “…The Earth King is right, you know. Not about sending his army, but about Zuko breaking his promise. Promises shouldn’t be broken. Not ever.” He leapt over to take the reins, urging Appa into the sky while Emi stared at her friend’s back in disbelief.

  
“Aang, I know Zuko made a promise. But there are exceptions-”

  
“No, Emi!” Aang snapped. “Not with this. The colonies are just a reminder for the Earth Kingdom of what the Fire Nation did during the Hundred Year War! It’s not right for them to be left alone simply because they’ve been there for decades!”

  
Emi opened her mouth to keep arguing but was stopped by Katara. She shook her head, her gaze sympathetic. Emi heaved a sigh and sat back against the saddle. _I tried, Zuko,_ she thought sadly to herself. _I hope you have a better plan_.

\- - -

Zuko stood on the raised platform of his throne room, staring into the fires that burned behind the gaudy seat. He swiped his hand, adding more flames to the blaze, only to shake his head and sigh.

  
“This isn’t me,” he muttered to himself, evaporating the fire with another sweep of his hand.

  
“Fire Lord?”

  
Zuko turned to see Suki standing below, kneeling upon the floor. “What is it, Suki?” he asked wearily.

  
“I wish to apologize for my actions,” she said. Zuko frowned in confusion. “I followed you yesterday morning. When you went to meet with your father.” She looked up, her gaze imploring. “We just wanted to know what was going on, to see if we could help in some way. The Kiyoshi Warriors are really worried about you, Zuko. I’m really worried about you.”

  
Zuko grimaced, bidding Suki to rise. He opened his mouth to explain himself when another man entered the room.

  
“Fire Lord Zuko!”

  
“General Maki?”

  
“A message has arrived from the spies you sent to the Earth Kingdom,” Maki said, kneeling down on the floor.

  
Suki turned to Zuko in shock. “You sent spies?!”

  
“Your suspicions were confirmed,” the general continued. “The Earth King’s army now marches toward Yu Dao.”

  
“Father…you were right,” Zuko muttered under his breath.


	5. On the Brink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update is late due to the fact that my second laptop has come back from the dead and, while I would rather be using that one primarily, I'm having some difficulty transferring my stories from one computer to the other. Incompatible software or something I don't fucking know, I ain't tech savvy. Point is, it's gonna take awhile to get all my work onto that laptop SO I will be updating on here via my current computer.
> 
> Okay enough rambling, let's get on with the story!

On the Brink

_Rain poured down upon the battlefield. Fire Nation soldiers and Earth kingdom soldiers faced off, fighting with ferocity and deadly intent. On a rocky ledge above the battle, Aang and Zuko stood, gazing down at the fighting soldiers with sorrow. Behind them, misty figures hovered._

  
_“One moment I know, deep in my heart, I must defend my people,” Zuko said to Aang. “But then the next, doubt creeps in. Maybe I’m supposed to follow through with the Harmony Restoration Movement.”_

  
_“Prove yourself worthy of the throne, my son!” Ozai’s figure demanded from behind Zuko._

  
_“Aang, how am I supposed to figure out what’s right when his voice is all I hear?!” Zuko implored his friend. “You could have silenced him forever…perhaps then I could have found peace! But you didn’t, and now I can’t!”_

  
_“I’m sorry, Zuko,” Aang said, looking away sadly._

  
_“When he had a firm grasp of good, your friend asked you for a promise!” Avatar Roku spoke to Aang._

  
_“The Fire Lord’s will determines what is right!” Ozai hissed at Zuko. “Embrace this truth, and you’ll possess the peace that you desire!”_

  
_“I don’t think I’ll ever stop feeling lost,” Zuko murmured to himself._

  
_“Now fulfill your promise and restore the world to harmony!” Avatar Roku urged Aang while Zuko turned to him, arms open wide._

  
_“Go ahead Aang! Do it!”_

  
_Aang closed his eyes regretfully before they opened again, glowing as white as his tattoos. He rose in the air, the elements swirling all around him. As Zuko faced his end, he saw another figure behind Roku, her head turned away and tears in her eyes._

  
_“Wait…!” he cried out to the woman. “Don’t cry…”_

  
_Suddenly, Aang lashed out, the swirl of fire and wind ready to end Zuko’s life-_

  
“ _Aaah_!”

  
Simultaneously, miles apart, Aang and Zuko bolted upright from their sleep, panting and gasping from their vivid dream.

\- - -

Emi and her friends stood up on the saddle as Yu Dao appeared below them. Appa gave a mighty bellow, attracting the attention of the citizens.

  
“Fire Nation residents of Yu Dao!” Aang yelled out to them. “You must evacuate the city immediately! Your lives are in danger!”

  
Suddenly, they all ducked as missiles of rock came pelting toward them, along with streams of fire.

  
“Whoa! Watch out guys, we’re being attacked by Firebenders!” Aang warned them.

  
“I think you mean Earthbenders!” Katara remarked, narrowly dodging a flying boulder.

  
Emi ducked as a rock and chain weapon came flying toward them. “Um…maybe Earthbenders with chains attached to their rocks…?” she asked, perplexed.

  
“That’s a meteor hammer!” Katara gasped. “And it looks like someone’s Earthbending it right back at us!”

  
“Nothing a little air funnel can’t handle!” Aang declared, streaming the air and safely shooting the weapon away.

  
“Watch out! Throwing axes!” Emi cried out as the sharp blades came pelting toward them.

  
“Why can’t they make up their minds about how they wanna attack us?!” Aang implored while Katara shot out a stream of water, freezing the weapons and halting their attack.

  
“That’s our axe thrower over there!” she yelled, pointing to the retreating figure as they ran along the rooftops. “Looks like he’s run out of axes!”

  
“I’m on it!” Aang assured her, leaping down and opening his glider to take off after their attacker.

  
Emi and Katara landed Appa in a safe place a short distance away, running back toward the building and leaping through the broken window Aang and the axe thrower had disappeared into.

  
“Aang?” Katara called out worriedly.

  
“Don’t worry, I’m fine!” Aang said. “I just caught him!” The figure on the ground shifted, looking back at them sheepishly.

  
“Sneers?!” Aang and Katara exclaimed at the same time while Emi merely looked on, baffled.

  
“Hi, Avatar Aang. Hi, Katara. Hi, Emi,” he remarked.

  
“I don’t get it,” Aang said, confused. “Why would you-”

  
Because you’re trying to force us out of our homes, Avatar Aang! We’re _not_ leaving!”

  
The three of them turned to see a group of people by the doorway, a young woman at their forefront looking determined.

  
“Wait, I’ve seen you before!” Katara remarked.

  
“My name is Kori Morishita! And we are the Yu Dao Resistance!” she declared.

  
“You have to evacuate right now!” Aang insisted. “You have no idea what’s coming!”

  
“And, Sneers,” Katara spun around to jab a finger at the young man. “weren’t you helping lead the protests outside the city just a few days ago?”

  
“I was confused, okay?” Sneers explained as he stood back up. “Smellerbee wanted me to help her, so I just kinda…” He paused for a moment, sighing. “Look, I grew up hating the Fire Nation! What those Ash Makers did to my parents; that’s why I became a Freedom Fighter! But when Jet and the other guys went to Ba Sing Se, I came to Yu Dao to live with my uncle.”

  
He smiled then and moved over to stand next to Kori, taking her hands. “Then, without even meaning to, I fell in love with an Ash Maker.”

  
“Wait, _you_ are going out with _you_?!” Aang stared, wide-eyed at the two while Emi fought to hold in her chuckles at his reaction.

  
“Yeah. I hid it from our friends for a long time, but I’m done with that. My girlfriend is Fire Nation.”

  
“So are all my cousins, on my mom’s side,” another man remarked.

  
“And my favorite teacher,” a girl added.

  
“My stepfather,” another Earth Kingdom citizen said.

  
“The guy who sells me mochi every morning.”

  
“Wait, you joined the Yu Dao Resistance to defend a guy who sells mochi?” Emi asked, raising an eyebrow.

  
“It’s _really_ good mochi!” the man replied.

  
“So, I just want to make sure I got this right,” Aang said to Sneers. “ _You_ are going out with her…”

  
“Yeah, what are you getting at?”

  
“Nothing, way to go Sneers!”

  
“I know this makes me look like a traitor,” Sneers remarked. “But I’m only fighting alongside the Yu Dao Resistance so long as they agree to keep both Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation intruders out, because Yu Dao is neither!”

  
“You mean because Yu Dao is both!” Kori corrected. “Let Smellerbee and her protesters come! We can handle them!”

  
“It’s not the protesters you have to worry about!” Emi insisted.

  
“Earth King Kuei is coming with his army!” Aang said. “They could arrive at any moment!”

  
“No way!” Sneers gasped in shock. “An entire army…?!”

  
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you!” Aang snapped. “You have to go! A handful of resistance fighters can’t possibly stand up to a whole army!”

  
“We can if the Avatar joins us!”

  
“Sneers, no!” Aang stated grimly. “I told the Earth King I’d see the Harmony Restoration Movement through to the end!”

  
“Aang, it might not be a bad idea to just listen to what they have to say,” Emi tried to reason.

  
“Well, if you won’t help us, Avatar Aang,” Kori remarked, “maybe one of those Avatars will.”

  
Emi and her friends turned to see the new arrivals. Another group of girls, clearly fans of Aang, were standing in the doorway. But this group was decked out in full, traditional Airbender outfits, complete with painted arrow tattoos.

  
“Greetings, Avatar Aang!” One girl stepped forward, smiling. “The Yu Dao chapter of the Avatar Aang Fan Club has eagerly anticipated your arrival! I am Xing Ying, the club president.”

  
“Look guys, another fan club!” Aang remarked to Emi and Katara, grinning.

  
“Yay,” Katara muttered dryly while Emi patted her shoulder sympathetically.

  
“You know them?” Kori asked.

  
“I know their _type_ ,” Katara replied.

  
“You guys seem really different from the club in Ba Sing Se,” Emi said, stepping forward with Aang. “Are all of you presidents?”

  
“Why would we all be presidents?” Xing Ying asked, perplexed.

  
“You’re _really_ different,” Aang remarked, stepping closer to admire their outfits. “Your clothes look just like the uniforms the Western Air Temple students used to wear!”

  
“Of course, Avatar Aang!” she replied. “We pride ourselves on authenticity. Our members devote as many hours to studying Air Nomad philosophy as you guys did when you and Emi were training!”

  
“And your painted arrows, they look just like the real deal!” Emi added.

  
“Oh, these aren’t paint,” Xing Ying corrected. “They’re real tattoos! We use the same ink you-”

  
“Wait, _what_?!” Aang exclaimed, both he and Emi looking at the girls in shock. “But, Air Nomad tattoos have to be _earned_ , through hard work and years of Airbending practice! They’re not-”

  
“Oh, we know, Avatar Aang!” Xing Ying tried to placate him. “For a fan club member to receive her tattoos, she must master hundreds of Airbender-like forms!”

  
“Airbender- _like_?” Emi repeated in disbelief.

  
“Those tattoos are sacred to our people!” Aang scowled, gesturing between himself and Emi. “They describe who we are and how we see the world! You have no right to tattoo yourselves like that!”

  
“I assure you that our members go through the most rigorous of study programs! By the end, they-”

  
“But how could you study Air Nomad philosophy at all and still do something like this?!” Aang demanded, turning away from the girls.

  
“Aang, I’m sure it was an honest mistake,” Katara tried to console her boyfriend.

  
“For you to treat our tattoos like part of some…some _costume_ …! Our culture isn’t a game!” Aang turned on his heel, storming out of the building with Emi and Katara right behind him.

  
“Where are you going?” Katara demanded.

  
“To the city gates. General How’s army could show up at any moment. When they do, I’m going to try and buy you guys a little more time.” He turned back, his eyes still hardened orbs of anger. “Maybe they’ll listen. Maybe they won’t. Either way, the Fire Nation colonies have got to go. It’s time we separate the nations and restore harmony.”

  
With that, he sprung open his glider, jumping into the air and flying away quickly. For a moment, Katara and Emi merely stood in the street in silence, their minds turning with tumultuous thoughts.

  
“Were you insulted by what those girls did?” Katara asked Emi.

  
Emi didn’t answer right away. Truth be told, she had felt aggravated by the club’s audacity. She had spent her entire childhood simply wishing she could just meet another Airbender, even if only once. When she got her tattoos, it was the highest honor she had ever felt, and Emi was so happy and proud that she had done right by her family. _Well, part of my family…_ Emi corrected silently.

  
“It was shocking,” she finally said. “But…did I ever tell you the full extent of my ancestry?”

  
“No. I guess not,” Katara replied, confused. “But, what are you talking about? You’re an Air Nomad.”

  
Emi sighed and gestured to Katara, both girls walking along the street and heading toward the city gates. “I’ll explain on the way.”

\- - -

“I’m telling you, my actions make sense! The Fire Nation citizens of Yu Dao are my people! As the Fire Lord, I have a duty to protect them!” Zuko sighed, closing his eyes wearily as he sat at his alter. “But it goes beyond that.

  
“When the Mayor’s wife invited me to stay with them, I didn’t just get to see what Yu Dao was like. I got to see what their family was like. They ate together, sitting at the same table. They talked and laughed and when they argued, they didn’t challenge each other to Agni Kais. They’re so…normal.

  
“You of all people know my own family is not. In my heart, I know I’m right. I’m not defending a colony, I’m defending people. And I’m defending their bonds with one another. But there is one fact that makes me doubt myself.” Zuko clenched his hands, his golden eyes hard. “Leading an army to Yu Dao is exactly what my father would do if he returned to the throne.

  
“From the outside, it looks like I’m acting just like him! Does it matter if my reasons are different?

  
“You wanted a quiet life after the war. And that’s the one thing I can give you, to begin repaying you for all you’ve done for me. I can’t disturb you. I won’t.” Zuko ran a hand over the painting of his uncle sadly. “Even so, I wish you were here, uncle. I miss you.”

  
_At least I can see Emi again_ , Zuko thought to himself, gazing at the far wall. It had been a slim hope that she could have swayed Aang and the Earth King to seeing his point of view. He hated asking that of her, but he was desperate. And it didn’t matter, in the end.

  
“Fire Lord Zuko!” A soldier came to his doorway, holding the royal helmet. “We’ve landed on the shores of the Earth Kingdom!”

  
Zuko merely stood up, donning the helmet and leaving the room, forcing his mind to turn to the task at hand.

\- - -

Emi and Katara made it to the gates of Yu Dao, Katara using her Waterbending to create stairs of ice while Emi merely leapt into the air, landing gracefully next to Aang as he sat upon the wall.

  
“Any sign of General How yet?” Emi asked.

  
“Or Smellerbee?” Katara added, sitting next to her boyfriend.

  
“No.”

  
“You okay?”

  
Aang sighed heavily. “My head hurts. But I think I figured out why the nations have to be separate for harmony. Whenever two nations come together, the stronger one can’t help but hurt the weaker one. They’ll conquer or burn, or at the very least make a joke of the weaker one.”

  
“You once told me that separation is an illusion,” Katara said. “Guru Pathik taught you that. The four nations are really one and the same.”

  
“But I don’t want them to be the same, Katara!” Aang said, exasperated. “I love being an Air Nomad! I love our philosophy, our temples, our holidays, our food; everything that makes us different from the rest of the world!” He sighed again. “And now that it’s just me and Emi left, it’s up to us to preserve our way of life!”

  
Katara looked to Emi, raising her eyebrow. “Aang,” Emi said heavily. “What do you expect us to do? Become hermits and guard the relics of the past for the rest of our lives?”

  
“I don’t know…” Aang replied. “But I do know this; Air Nomad culture can’t survive in a world where nations invade each other, corrupt each other. I have to see the Harmony Restoration Movement through to the end.”

  
“Even if it means fulfilling your promise to Zuko?” Katara asked while Emi sucked in a sharp breath.

  
“Yes.”

  
“But, you’d be acting against Air Nomad philosophy!” Katara reasoned. “Isn’t that what you’re trying to preserve?”

  
“ _Aargh_! It’s a contradiction, I know!” Aang lamented. “That’s why my head hurts.”

  
They fell silent then, allowing Aang to brood in his thoughts alone. After a while, Emi nudged Katara and jerked her head toward his slumped form, her eyes widened pointedly. Katara heaved a sigh.

  
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you ever since we left for Ba Sing Se, Aang, but I didn’t know how to bring it up…” Katara glanced at Emi again who nodded her encouragement, “I’ve…um…changed my mind about the Harmony Restoration Movement.”

  
“I know,” Aang replied wearily. “I could tell. Why?”

  
“Remember when we first came here and Zuko showed us around?” she asked. “Me and Emi saw Kori and her family standing in the street, staring at us like we held their whole lives in our hands. But, I didn’t just see them.” Emi sat up straighter as a large group of people began making their way toward the gates, carrying a battering ram and chanting their mantra. “I also saw-”

  
“We’re going to have to talk about this later!” Aang interrupted, standing up and leaping down onto the ground before Smellerbee and her protestors. Katara looked on exasperated while Emi stood up as well, staring down at the confrontation warily.

  
“It’s been three days, Avatar Aang,” Smellerbee said. “Did all that talking get you anywhere? Is the Fire Nation out of Yu Dao?”

  
“Please, Smellerbee…just a little bit longer,” Aang implored.

  
Smellerbee and Longshot merely exchanged looks before she turned back to Aang, her expression livid. “People of the Earth Kingdom, _attack_!” she shouted.

  
Emi and Katara gasped as the Earthbenders sent the large rock cylinder flying toward the gates, pounding against the doors while Aang leapt out of the way to avoid being crushed. Both girls jumped down, Katara using her Waterbending to fend off the fighters wielding spears and swords while Emi and Aang faced off with the Earthbenders.

  
“You’re not getting to those gates again!” Aang yelled, catapulting himself toward the battering ram and barreling through the rock, shattering it to pieces.

  
“Wow,” Emi remarked. “Toph would have been proud!”

  
“Hurry, the big pieces are going to crush people!” Katara yelled out to them. Together, Aang and Emi swung their staffs around, blowing some of the large chunks of stones safely out of the way while Katara swung out a large wave of water to shield the rest of the Resistance. Upon seeing Smellerbee in harm's way, Aang leapt forward to tackle her out of the way of the falling rock.

  
“Thanks Aang,” she said as they stood back up. “Now I almost feel bad for distracting you like that.”

  
“Distracting me?” Aang asked, confused.

  
“You really think we’re dumb enough to use a _stone_ battering ram when we knew the Avatar would be here?” Smellerbee scoffed. “We wanted to keep you from noticing that!”

  
They looked over to where she pointed; several yards away a drill was barreling through the wall with ease. Emi smacked a hand to her face; of course they would do something like that.

  
They ran forward as Smellerbee and her group walked through the newly opened hole, the citizens of Yu Dao running away in a panic.

  
“Guys, stop!” Aang implored them. “You don’t want to do this!”

  
Just then, the Yu Dao resistance came marching forward, lead by Kori and a bashful Sneers.

  
“Hey Smellerbee. Hey Longshot,” he greeted hesitantly, waving a little.

  
“Sneers?!” Smellerbee stalked forward, furious. “You’ve been in Yu Dao this whole time?! Longshot and I looked all over for you!”

  
“Smellerbee, Longshot, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Kori,” Sneers introduced them. “Kori, this is Smellerbee and Longshot.”

  
“Well what d’ya know? Looks like we’re all friends here!” Aang chuckled nervously, attempting to placate the rising tension.

  
“Sneers told me all about you, Smellerbee,” Kori said, glaring at the other girl.

  
“I’m sorry I can’t say the same,” Smellerbee snarled.

  
“You know what friends do? Talk!” Aang continued in vain. “You know what friends don’t do? Beat each other up!”

  
“I don’t think your tactics are working,” Emi remarked as Smellerbee and Kori continued to yell at one another.

  
“You can’t force us from Yu Dao!” Kori declared.

  
“You’re dating an Ash Maker?!” Smellerbee yelled at Sneers. “How could you?! You’re as bad as Emi!”

  
“Hey!” Emi snapped, stepping forward only to be held back by Katara.

  
“Trust me guys, I’m the Avatar!” Aang exclaimed, panicked. “Peace is sort of my thing!”

  
Just then Longshot laid a hand on Smellerbee’s shoulder, giving her a meaningful look.

  
“You do have a point Longshot,” Smellerbee allowed. “I mean, look at her…and look at him.”

  
“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Sneers demanded before shaking his head. “Listen, Smellerbee. Maybe we’ve been thinking about this all wrong. What if Yu Dao is neither Fire Nation nor Earth Kingdom?”

  
“What if it’s a part of both?” Kori added.

  
“This is what I’ve been trying to tell you, Aang,” Katara spoke up. “Maybe we can make things better here without kicking all the Fire Nation people out-”

  
“Bah!” one of the Freedom Fighters yelled. “What are we waiting for?! Let’s finish what we came to do!” He kicked up a large boulder, shooting it toward Kori. Emi leapt in front of the girl, unsheathing her scimitar and neatly slicing through the rock, both halves falling to the ground on either side of them.

  
“Defend yourselves, Yu Dao resistance!” Kori yelled, jumping forward with the rest of her fighters. “Defend our home!”

  
“Aw, come on!” Aang lamented as both groups came clashing together. “How come nobody ever just wants to talk?!” He grit his jaw, jumping forward and swinging his staff around to blow the two opposing groups apart. “Don’t you get it Smellerbee?! I agree with you! I want the Fire Nation colonials to leave, too! I just want them to leave peacefully!”

  
“I don’t think that’s an option anymore, Aang,” Smellerbee remarked, getting back up. “Looks like the Earth King’s finally stepped up to his responsibilities.”

  
Katara, Aang. and Emi looked around, seeing the massive Earth Kingdom army marching toward them.

  
“Monkey feathers!” Aang despaired.


	6. Part of Each Other

Part of Each Other

 

"Avatar Aang!"

 

They looked around to see the Yu Dao fan club standing a short ways away, wearing headbands around their arrow tattoos.

 

"Double monkey feathers!"  Aang slapped a hand to his own head in exasperation.

 

"Please, forgive our unintentional disrespect!"  Xing Ying implored him, bowing with the rest of her group. "We've since covered our tattoos in deference to true Airbenders! Now we, the Yu Dao chapter of the Avatar Aang Fan Club, place ourselves at your service."

 

"How about you just go home?"  Aang dismissed them impatiently. "I've already got all these protesters to deal with, not to mention the giant army that just showed up!"

 

"But that's why we're at your service!"

 

The army was now within a short distance of Yu Dao. They halted and General How dismounted from his ostrich horse, unrolling an official looking document.

 

"Attention! Attention! By official decree of Earth King Kuei, the Earth Kingdom reclaims the former Fire Nation colony of Yu Dao!"

 

Emi looked up at the airship above them, raising her eyebrows incredulously as she saw the Earth King himself sitting safely away from the confrontation.

 

"Earth King Kuei, why don't you come down here and announce your own decrees?!"  she shouted up to the man.

 

"General How's doing just fine on his own, thank you!"  Kuei shouted back.

 

"Fire Nation colonials who remain in this city are hereby declared criminals!"  General How continued. "And shall be arrested on sight! The Harmony Restoration Movement shall be completed on this day, with or without colonial cooperation!"

 

"No!"  Emi tried to protest.

 

" _Yeah! Fire Nation out! Harmony now_!"  Smellerbee and her group exclaimed, cheering happily.

 

"This is it, Aang!"  Sneers yelled, running over to them. "You either defend Yu Dao with us...or doom us!"

 

"Not necessarily Sneers!"  Kori remarked, pointing. "Look!"

 

"Monkey feathers on top of monkey feathers!"  Aang swore, looking around at the Fire Nation army that came onto the scene.

 

"Zuko...what are you doing?"  Emi muttered to herself in despair. She did agree with him, but this was not the way.

 

"Stay back Avatar Aang!"  Xing Ying and her club members jumped in front of him, Emi, and Katara. "We'll protect you!"

 

Aang grumbled and blew out a stream of air that effectively removed the girls. "You guys aren't protecting anything; you're just putting yourselves in danger! You've got to go!"

 

Just then, one of the Fire Nation tanks opened up, revealing-

 

"Sokka?! Toph?!"  both Katara and Emi exclaimed, baffled.

 

"Suki, too. She's driving,"  Toph explained with a grin.

 

"Weren't you guys supposed to pick me up?"  Sokka demanded, glaring at Katara, Aang, and Emi.

 

"Sorry, Sokka. We've been kind of busy!"  Aang remarked sheepishly.

 

"So you decide to hitch a ride with the Fire Nation army instead?!"  Katara demanded in return.

 

"Wait...oh for- Tell me guys didn't..."   Emi sighed, slapping a hand to her face.

 

"If you mean we've been trying to slow the Fire Nation army down, then yes, that's what we've been doing,"  Sokka retorted.

 

"What about _you_ three?!"  Toph scowled at them. "Since when did defending Fire Nation colonials become a part of the Harmony Restoration Movement?!"

 

"Listen to me, Avatar!"  General How stepped forward. "Harmony can be restored _right_ now! My army will treat the colonials we arrest more justly than the Fire Nation treated us! You have my word! However, we cannot accomplish anything if the Fire Lord's army stands against us. We have a saying amongst the Council of Five: an army with no leader is a dragon with no head. You alone have the power to end this quickly."

 

Aang frowned, looking over to the distant figure of Zuko atop a komodo rhino. "Aang, please,"  Emi pleaded with him. "You don't have to do this! There has to be another way!"

 

"The Avatar knows well the cost of war,"  General How glowered at Emi. "I am asking him to exchange one life for many."

 

"Well, if you guys were so busy slowing the Fire Nation down, how is it that they still ended up here?!"  Katara asked Toph and her brother.

 

"She's following my plan, in case you're wondering,"  Sokka remarked with a grin.

 

"Keep your eyes on me, Sugar Queen,"  Toph smirked. "Keep your eyes on me."

 

She leapt down from the tank, slamming her feet into the ground and making the earth rumble dangerously. All around, the Fire Nation tanks were losing their metal screws and falling apart in one fell swoop of her bending.

 

"Ha ha! Look at that!"  Sokka exclaimed while Suki climbed out from their original tank. "Idea guy's still got the touch!"

 

"The dragon may still have its head, but perhaps it's now lost its legs..."  General How mused, turning back to his soldiers. "Quickly, Earth Kingdom troops! While the Fire Nation is in disarray! By royal decree, enter Yu Dao and arrest the colonials!"

 

"Soldiers of the Fire Nation!"  Zuko yelled. "Defend our people in the city of Yu Dao! Your Fire Lord commands you!"

 

" _No_!"  Aang and Emi shouted at the same time, but for vastly different reasons. She chased after Aang as he leaped forward above the charging Fire Nation army, landing in front of Zuko.

 

"The Harmony Restoration Movement was such a simple plan!"  Aang shouted, floating upward as his eyes and tattoos began to glow. " **Why couldn't you just follow it through?** "

 

Before Emi could do anything, Katara came careening forward, grabbing Aang as she sped by on a sheet of ice and effectively snapping him out of his Avatar State. As they landed on the wall of Yu Dao to speak, Emi was distracted by Zuko.

 

"Get out of here, Emi,"  he commanded sternly. "It's not safe for you!"

 

"This isn't the way to help your people, Zuko!"  Emi insisted, gesturing to the army. "The world's barely out of one war, and now you're trying to start another one-"

 

"I am doing right by my people!"  Zuko overrode her. "Just go! This doesn't concern you!"  He moved his mount forward, leaving Emi behind with a scowl. She snapped open her glider and flew up to join her other friends on the wall. Katara had also returned from her talk with Aang.

 

"Let me see if I got this,"  Sokka said. "The protesters and the Earth Kingdom army want the colonials to go, the Fire Nation army wants the colonials to stay, and the Yu Dao Resistance just wants the city to be left alone?"

 

"Yes,"  Katara confirmed.

 

"So, where's Aang flying off to, then?"

 

"He needs a place to be calm and figure things out."

 

Toph scoffed. "What is there to figure out? If he wants harmony-"

 

"Look, I trust him!"  Katara overrode the Earthbender, her face determined. "And after all we've been through, you ought to, too! So for now, we need to keep all those people down there from killing each other."  They looked down then, Emi raising an eyebrow at the fan club girls swiftly moving through both armies, breaking them apart. "Kind of like what Aang's fan club is trying to do."

 

"For not being Airbenders, they really are quite skilled,"  Emi observed in surprise.

 

"We need to split up,"  Katara declared. "Toph and Suki, you disarm as many Fire Nation troops as you can. Emi and I will work on the Earth Kingdom soldiers."

 

"And I'll take care of the protesters!"  Sokka offered. "But, how am I supposed to get down there?"

 

Toph promptly made another earth slide. "Here you go, Sokka!"  she said with a grin.

 

"Aw, not another one!"  he lamented, but he slid down the steep incline regardless.

 

Emi followed Katara as they headed toward the Earth Kingdom soldiers. Katara used a stream of water to push the oncoming men away while Emi used her staff to blow back more.

 

"So, did you finally manage to talk to Aang?"  Emi asked as she kicked out another blast of air at an oncoming soldier.

 

"Yeah, I did,"  Katara replied, whipping out her water and snapping a spear in half. "I think I got to him. But he still needs to make this decision on his own."

 

"I know,"  Emi muttered, spinning her hands around and blowing another blast of air toward the troops. "That's what I'm afraid of."

 

A rumbling sound made both girls look up, seeing the Earth King's airship hovering above the chaos.

 

"Maybe I can talk some sense into His Majesty,"  Katara remarked, preparing her water. "Will you be okay down here?"

 

Emi gave a wry grin and swiped her hand out, forcing the soldiers back once again as they tried to advance. "Yeah, I think I got it. You go on ahead."

 

Katara smiled lightly and rose up on a trail of ice toward the Earth King's ship. A guttural cry made Emi turn around, barely dodging the swipe of a sword. Unsheathing her own sword, Emi leapt forward, swinging around with nimble speed and knocking the man off balance. More soldiers filled his place, Earthbenders and swordsmen alike attacking her. She sheathed her scimitar and sucked in a deep breath, letting out a strong blast of wind that rocked the men back several feet, leaving them in a daze.

 

"Surrender, rebels!"  Emi turned to see General How stalking toward the small Yu Dao Resistance group angrily. "This city is once again under the Earth King's protection! Surrender peacefully and you shall be treated with mercy!"

 

"Never!"  Kori yelled, flinging out her meteor hammer. The general easily punched through the weapon, tearing the rock to pieces.

 

"Soldiers, arrest them!"

 

Emi watched with wide eyes as the rest of the Earth Kingdom army moved forward, only to be stopped by a powerful stream of fire. Zuko stood nearby, his face livid.

 

"General How! Withdraw your troops immediately!"  Zuko demanded, fire pooling around his fists.

 

"With all due respect, Fire Lord Zuko, you stand on Earth Kingdom soil! Here, you words have no authority!"  the older man yelled back, drawing up large boulders from the ground. They came clashing together, fire and stone being scattered all around them.

 

Emi gripped her staff, about to fly in front of both men when a beam of light broke the sky. All fighting stopped, soldiers and resistance fighters looking as one toward the cliff side were Aang was rising up, the elements swirling around him and his eyes and tattoos blazing white. He flew over to the fray, looking down upon the soldiers with a harsh expression.

 

"Aang, I know how this looks!"  Zuko tried to explain to the Avatar. "But I swear to you, in my heart..."  He cut himself off, heaving a sigh and removing his battle helmet. "None of that matters, does it?"  he remarked as Emi ran to his side, looking up at Aang apprehensively. "I'm doing exactly what my father would have done."

 

Aang suddenly flung his arms out, created a giant fissure in the ground between General How and his troops and Zuko. The ground beneath Zuko's feet crumbled, and before Emi knew it he was falling into the dark abyss.

 

" _No_!"  she cried out, trying in vain to reach for his hand. Before he fell too far, Aang suddenly flew after him, gripping his arm and hauling him back out of the trench safely. All around the city of Yu Dao, the fissure rumbled to completion, effectively cutting it off from the rest of the Earth Kingdom soil.

 

Emi ran forward as Aang set Zuko upon the ground. Nearby, Katara and Earth King Kuei landed as well. Katara rushed toward Aang as he left the Avatar State, hugging him fiercely. Emi could only stand by with Zuko, watching as Kuei approached Aang and Katara, along with Kori and Sneers.

 

"Earth King Kuei, look at who you're fighting,"  Aang said, gesturing around. "Fire Nation, yes; but also Earth Kingdom, Water Tribe, and now Air Nomad. This is who stands against your army."

 

"And against the Fire Nation army, too!"  Sneers added.

 

"It took me a while, but I finally understand."  Aang approached the older man. "You're not just fighting a colony. You're fighting a whole new kind of world."

 

"Don't listen to that Ash Maker propaganda, Earth King Kuei!"  Smellerbee shouted from across the fissure. "Harmony now!"

 

Emi grimaced as Kuei waved his hand at them. "Quiet! Quiet! I need to see what I...what I..."   He looked toward the citizens of Yu Dao. "I just need to see."

 

Next to her, Zuko swayed dangerously on his feet. "Zuko?"  she asked worriedly as Aang ran over to them.

 

"...So, I was right, then...? ...All along...my decision...was right...?"  he muttered before collapsing onto the ground.

 

"Zuko!"  Both Aang and Emi ran to his side. They heaved him upright, but he was out cold.

 

"I swear, when he gets better, I am giving him the hardest slap I can muster,"  Emi grumbled as they carried him to Appa.

 

\- - -

 

Four days later found Emi and Aang sitting on the rooftop of the Jasmine Dragon, looking up into the night sky.

 

"Did I ever tell you about my ancestry?"  Emi suddenly asked in the quiet. She had been waiting for the opportune moment to speak to her friend about it, when they wouldn't be so concerned about Zuko.

 

"No. But I thought you were just Air Nomad and Earth Kingdom."  Aang remarked, perplexed.

 

"I am,"  Emi nodded. "But there's more. My grandmother on my father's side was Fire Nation. And my great-grandfather was Northern Water Tribe."

 

Aang looked at her in shock. "What? Why didn't you say anything sooner?!"

 

"I didn't think it was that important, to be honest,"  Emi replied, shrugging. "When I read through my family's documents, at first I was only concerned about the Airbender part of my family. Because that is what I am; it's what I can do. But as I read through everything else, I realized that it's really only part of who I am. There's so much more to my heritage and bloodline, and at first it was just too confusing. It was easier to just consider myself an Air Nomad and be done with it."  She sighed, running a finger along one of her tattoos. "I am proud to be an Air Nomad, believe that. But there's still so much more to me, so much that makes up who I am. The world has been divided for many years, and people have only ever had to worry about one heritage.

 

"But it's like you said to Earth King Kuei; it's a new world now. People are crossing the boundaries and discovering other walks of life. And other loves."  She smiled lightly, touching her jade necklace. "And it's not a bad thing, really."

 

"No. It's not,"  Aang agreed, smiling a little. "There will always be those who try to hurt others and try to overpower them. But as long as there are people around willing to defend the weak, then I think the world will be okay."  He looked back over to Emi then. "Katara told me that when she saw Kori and her family, she thought of the family we could have together. That if I continued to try and enforce the Harmony Restoration Movement, then it wouldn't be possible. Because we'd be going against that."

 

"I know you were trying to do what you thought was right before, Aang,"  Emi said. "I know Avatar Roku lived in a very different time than where we are now. Maybe...maybe if the war never happened, if Sozin never attacked the Air Nation and the cycle continued without disruption, this whole transition into a new world wouldn't be so hard."

 

"Maybe,"  Aang allowed. "But we're here now. We need to make the most of it."  He ran his hands over his wooden beads, touching the Fire Nation crest with sorrow. "I need to meditate and talk to Roku. I can't believe he actually wanted me to kill his own great-grandson."

 

"That's what he thought was right." Emi reasoned. "And that's the wisdom he tried to pass on to you."

 

"I can't rely on him anymore,"  Aang said sadly. "I need to go through this new world on my own."

 

"You may break the connection to his spirit, but he'll still be a part of you,"  Emi remarked, standing up.

 

"I know."

 

She merely nodded and jumped down to the ground, leaving Aang to the difficult task of breaking off with his Avatar teacher. Emi walked into the tea shop, finding Yuuka in the back munching down on a bowl of fruit quite happily. She chuckled and gave her sugar glider a friendly scratch as Iroh appeared.

 

"Good evening, Emi,"  he greeted kindly.

 

"Good evening, Iroh,"  she replied with a wide smile. It had been great to see the older man again after so long being apart. She had missed his wisdom and wit, and his skills at playing Pai Sho. "How's Zuko doing?"

 

"I believe he will awaken any moment now,"  Iroh remarked with a glint in his eyes. "I am sure the first face he would love to see would be yours."

 

Emi rolled her eyes, blushing lightly as she went out into the hall, going to the room where Zuko had been resting in. She sat in the chair by his bed, looking out the window into the quiet night. Her gaze slid back to her boyfriend's face, brushing a lock of hair away from his closed eyes. He looked a lot better now, now that he had gotten some proper rest.

 

"If you ever go that long without sleeping and eating again, I swear..."   Emi muttered under her breath.

 

"...You'll what? Beat me up?"  Zuko grumbled wearily, opening his eyes to look at her.

 

Emi scoffed. "No. I'll just go ahead and flirt with some random guy I find on the street."

 

Zuko frowned, sitting up slightly. "You don t know any other guys..."  

 

"That's what you think,"  she teased with a grin. "I had some offers during my travels those past nine months."

 

"Oh really?"  Zuko shot her a glare. "And you liked that, did you?"

 

"Well..."  she heaved a sigh, rolling her eyes up to the ceiling. "I tried, but turns out I'm hopelessly in love with a stubborn Fire Lord. They didn't like hearing that one bit."

 

"Good,"  he remarked, a small grin on his face. He looked over at her a moment later, frowning. "You didn't leave."

 

"No. I didn't."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because, I've seen what happens to you when I do leave you,"  she retorted. "You're a strong man, Zuko, but you let your problems get the better of you far too often. I wasn't going to leave you alone in that battle."

 

"Even if Aang decided to go through with his promise and end me?"  Zuko asked, raising his eyebrow. "Would you have stayed then? Watched me die?"

 

"I wouldn't have let you die,"  Emi replied easily. "Sokka asked me the same thing when this all started, and at first I was unsure if I could stand in Aang's way. But when the moment came, I knew I couldn't let you die. I knew you were doing the right thing, even if you were going about it a little haphazardly."

 

Zuko scoffed and fell back against his pillows tiredly. Emi chuckled, standing up. "Come on. Let's get some tea in you. Iroh and Aang will be happy to see you awake."

 

She helped Zuko out of bed, letting him lean on her as they made their way slowly to the other room. After Iroh set a cup of tea down in front of his nephew and draped a blanket over his shoulders, he went outside to let Aang know that Zuko was awake. Before long, the young Avatar entered the room behind Iroh, smiling at Emi and Zuko.

 

"Thank you both for bringing him to me," Iroh remarked as he busied himself behind the counter. "He really should have come earlier, on his own. Sometimes he forgets that he always has a place here. He may be Fire Lord now, but he is still a stubborn boy."

 

"Tell me about it,"  Emi mused with a smile.

 

"I feel like I've been asleep for a week,"  Zuko muttered tiredly.

 

"No. Just four days,"  Aang replied as he took a seat across from them. "The Earth King's agreed to talk. When you're ready, we'll meet him in Yu Dao. A small group of the city's residents are going to join us, too. Whatever happens, though, Yu Dao can't stay a Fire Nation colony."

 

"It can't go back to being an Earth Kingdom city, either,"  Zuko said.

 

"I know. It has to be something new."

 

"But what?"

 

"That's why we need to meet."

 

There was a short silence as Zuko and Emi sipped from their tea cups. Yuuka came gliding over then, completely stuffed with fruit.

 

"On the way to Yu Dao, I had a dream,"  Zuko said to Aang, breaking the silence. "You and I faced off against each other on a mountaintop and rain and lightening raged all around us. Behind me was Ozai, and behind you-"

 

"-Roku, and below us the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation armies battled each other,"  Aang finished for him. "I think I had the same dream!"

 

"In yours, did you...end me?"  Zuko asked hesitantly.

 

"...Yes."

 

"You know what I felt, just as you did that...right before I woke up?"  Zuko asked, shedding his blanket.

 

Emi grimaced while Aang shook his head. "Zuko, I-"

 

" _Relief_."  They both snapped their heads to Zuko as he clenched his fists. "I was wrong to ask you for that promise, Aang. I've struggled for so long to do what's right; to even _know_ what's right. Then when the war ended, I thought the struggle had finally ended, too. I thought I'd won for good."  He glared off to the side. "A visit to Ozai in prison changed that. I realized the struggle was actually just beginning. I didn't think I could handle it, so I asked for your help. But asking you to end me if I went bad; that was like asking you to figure out right and wrong for me. I didn't just want you as my safety net. I wanted you as my escape hatch. I can't put that on you. I understand now, the struggle isn't something a Fire Lord can escape. I'm sorry, Aang."

 

Emi punched him lightly in the shoulder, making him cringe. "Um, what about me? I was the one who told you all that in the first place!"

 

"I'm sorry, Emi,"  Zuko relented, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

 

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Zuko,"  Aang remarked with a smile. "Deep down, you've always known what's right. I mean, you were right about Yu Dao."

 

"Yeah. I guess I was,"  Zuko mused with a smile of his own.

 

"...So when you fell into that chasm I created...did you feel...relief...then, too?"

 

"No. As soon as my foot slipped, I knew somehow that you wouldn't let me die."

 

"Because I'm a flawed Avatar."

 

"Don't get me wrong! I'm grateful that you-"

 

"Roku told me you're his great-grandson."

 

"That's true."

 

"Since Roku's my past life, in a way you're my family, Zuko,"  Aang said pensively. :"And no matter how hard I've tried, I've never been able to detach myself from those sorts of bonds. It's a flaw, I know, but it's one I've decided to accept. For this life, at least."

 

"You're not the one who's flawed, Aang,"  Zuko sighed. "Why can't the struggle get easier for me? Even just a little? Sometimes, I wonder how long I'll last. You know, in that dream a woman stood with us on that mountaintop, watching from the shadows. I think...she was my mother."

 

"Dreams are our subconscious voice,"  Emi remarked as Iroh reappeared in the room. "They help us see the answer to our problems."

 

"Quite true. Then again, sometimes they are just the result of eating spicy food before going to bed,"  Iroh chimed in with a grin.

 

"Maybe finding my mother would connect me to a part of my heritage that isn't so murky and confusing,"  Zuko mused with a smile. "Maybe then I'd finally find peace."

 

"You mean Roku's bloodline?"  Aang asked. "I don't know..."  

 

"I've never told either of you this,"  Zuko said, looking from Iroh to Aang. "But right after I became Fire Lord I sent out search party after search party looking for her. I even hired Jun and her shirshu. They all came back empty handed. What can I do now that I haven't already tried?"

 

"It's a new world, Zuko,"  Aang smiled. "You need to take some new risks. We all do."

 

"Speaking of risks, why don't you all try this brand new beverage I invented?"  Iroh said, setting down three glasses filled with some sort of murky looking liquid. "First, I cook balls of tapioca until they're soft and tender. Then, I put them in tea, where they sit like little pearl sized snacks at the bottom of each cup! Add a little milk and ta-da! A revolution in tea is born!"

 

Despite his enthusiasm, Zuko, Aang, and Emi couldn't stomach the odd tasting tea. Zuko spat his right back out while Aang and Emi tried to decide if it was worth swallowing the mouthful they had.

 

" _Blech_! What is that trying to sneak into my mouth?!"  Zuko demanded incredulously.

 

"I've never had tea that's quite so...chewy,"  Aang mumbled around his mouthful.

 

"This is- _ack_!- really...something, Iroh,"  Emi managed to say, swallowing the lump with difficulty.

 

"I am a man ahead of my time,"  Iroh sighed, shaking his head sadly.


	7. A Last Resort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy first day of spring! I guess. I mean, I love the change of seasons but at the same time I loathe that the weather is getting warmer.
> 
> Can't have everything, right?

A Last Resort

They left Iroh’s tea shop the next day, climbing onto Appa’s saddle and heading to Yu Dao once again. Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Suki had stayed in the city with Earth King Kuei to show him around and let him see the people and their way of life for himself. It still struck Emi as odd that the Earth King had never seen any of his own cities before last year. She hoped this talk would help him change that sort of mentality.

  
“Oh no!” Aang suddenly said, causing Zuko and Emi to look at him in concern.

  
“What is it, Aang?” Zuko asked.

  
“I just remembered. We’ll be seeing those fan club girls again!” he lamented, looking grumpy at the very thought.

  
Zuko looked at Emi in confusion. “The Avatar Aang Fan Club,” she explained. “Yu Dao chapter. They follow the customs of the Airbenders to a ‘T’, including our tattoos.”

  
“Oh,” Zuko mused in understanding.

  
“I still can’t believe they did that…” Aang grumbled darkly.

  
“I’ve been thinking, Aang,” Emi began, fiddling with the edge of her shawl. “It’s a new world. And there’s only two Airbenders in this new world…”

  
“What are you getting at, Emi?” Aang asked, looking back at her.

  
“Maybe we should pass on the teachings of the monks to those girls,” Emi replied seriously. “The Air Nomad culture is just going to become stagnant with only the two of us around. Maybe eventually there’ll be more Airbenders in the world, but until then what are we going to do? Guard the teachings and only share them between the two of us?”

  
“…Maybe,” Aang sighed. “I don’t know, though. I mean, they’re just fan girls.”

  
“That’s how they started out,” Emi allowed. “But I saw them in action during the fight at Yu Dao. They really do care about our culture and our way of life. With your help, they’d definitely learn a lot and help us to pass on the Air Nomad teachings.”

  
Aang fell silent, thinking. By the time they arrived at Yu Dao, and after the confirmation of his other friends, he decided to pass on the ways of the Air Nomads to the girls, as long as they stopped referring to themselves as mere fans and took on the title “Air Acolytes”. Emi was just happy that there would be more people in the world to carry on the Air Nomad traditions and knowledge.

\- - -

Emi and Zuko arrived back in the Fire Nation a few days later. The talks with Earth King Kuei and the Yu Dao residents had gone well, but it was just the beginning to what would be a long road to change. However, Emi knew they were heading in the right direction to bringing peace back into the world.

  
She let out a sigh of contentment as they passed through the gates that surrounded the palace property. Although she had enjoyed herself during her travels, Emi had missed the elegant building she now called home. But even more so, she had missed the man who was currently sitting next to her in the palanquin.

  
When they entered the palace itself, the attendants and guards alike greeted them respectfully, bowing to their Fire Lord and welcoming him home. Yuuka sniffed the air as they walked through the large hallways, reacquainting herself with the grand palace.

  
“We repaired your room while you were away,” Zuko said as he escorted her to her bedroom.

  
“It’s almost like I never even left,” Emi remarked as she looked around at the carefully cleaned area, everything neat and tidy and smelling fresh.

  
“I still have some things I need to do,” Zuko continued as Emi dropped her bag on the ground by her dresser. “I’ll see you at dinner. Okay?”

  
“Sounds perfect,” Emi smiled, kissing him lightly.

  
Once he left, she turned to her balcony doors, opening them widely and letting in the warm breeze. Emi heaved a sigh, leaning on the rail as she looked down over the gardens. If she had been told two years ago that she’d be living at the Fire Nation palace, and be the Fire Lord’s girlfriend to boot, she would have laughed herself silly.

  
“I would have laughed about a lot of things I’m doing now, Yuuka,” Emi remarked to the sugar glider in amusement. The small creature merely tilted her head, her large eyes blinking up at the Airbender.

  
Emi chuckled and scratched Yuuka on the head before heading back into her room to unpack her belongings and put them away. Once that was done, she knelt before her altar and picked up the painting of her parents, smiling sadly at their faded figures.

  
“I wonder how you guys would have reacted to the way my life is now,” she mused quietly. _I wonder if they would be proud…_ she continued silently, frowning a little at that thought. Emi then shook her head and placed the painting gently back onto the altar. She sat there for a moment longer, pondering upon her family before bowing and getting back to her feet.

  
“Come on, Yuuka,” Emi beckoned to her sugar glider as she picked up her glider. “Let’s go for a walk through the gardens.”

  
Yuuka squeaked happily, jumping up and gliding over to land on Emi’s shoulder. They then ventured outside to take in the tranquil atmosphere, breathing in the familiar scents of the flowers and the trees and the pond.

  
Later, as evening fell, an attendant came to fetch her for dinner. Emi took her seat across from Zuko, eyeing the vegetarian dish with relish. It had been a bit of a change for the cooks of the palace to make food strictly without meat for the Airbender, but they had risen to the challenge remarkably, and Emi ate each meal to the very last bite. With some help from Yuuka, of course.

  
“So, did you get everything you needed done for the day?” Emi asked as they ate.

  
“For now,” Zuko said. “I received a message from Mayor Morishita in Yu Dao. We’re to head back in a few days to meet with a lecturer who can teach us about the ways of the ancient Earth Kingdom. Earth King Kuei thinks we can help Yu Dao by drawing wisdom from the past.”

  
“That sounds…interesting…” Emi remarked, inwardly cringing at the thought of having to sit through a history lesson. Still, it was for the benefit of Yu Dao. And she wouldn’t be the only one there.

  
Zuko smirked. “I thought all Airbenders cherished the wisdom of the past.”

  
“We do! …To an extent,” Emi replied with as much dignity as she could muster. “I mean, not all of the past is filled with exciting things, you know.”

  
Zuko merely chuckled, shaking his head at her logic. They were silent for a few minutes after that. Emi was savoring the flavor of her dish; she wondered what the chef had put in this one to make it so delectable. She made a mental note to venture into the kitchens at some point and ask him about it.

  
“I’ve been thinking,” Zuko eventually mused, pushing his empty plate away.

  
“Okay. What about?” Emi asked hesitantly. He had that look on his face; the look that signaled her boyfriend was about to say something she would probably not like.

  
“I’ve tried every avenue I could think of to finding my mother,” he said. “All but one.”

  
“Which is what, exactly?”

  
“Azula.”

  
Emi nearly choked on her food, coughing as she tried to fight for breath. Once she had calmed down, she stared at Zuko in shock. “ _Azula_?!” she repeated incredulously “Are you out of your mind?! She tried to kill us!”

  
“I know, Emi,” Zuko said with a hard stare. “But she’s still my sister. And she’s my last hope for finding my- _our_ mother. She and Ozai were closest when we were kids. She might be able to get the information I need from him.”

  
“I know she’s your sister, but…” Emi trailed off, shaking her head. “Are you absolutely sure this is your last option?”

  
“Yes. Otherwise, I don’t think I’ll ever see my mother again,” Zuko looked away pensively.

  
Emi heaved a sigh and pushed her empty plate aside as well. “...Okay then. As long as you’re sure. Just…be careful around her. She might be in a straight jacket now, but she’s still cunning. And more dangerous than ever.”

  
“Wait, you’re really okay with this?” Zuko asked, raising his eyebrow.

  
“Honestly, not really,” Emi replied, shrugging. “But, I know you’ve been wondering what happened to your mother for years now. And I know she was virtually the only good thing in your youth, aside from your uncle. So, if striking a deal with someone like… _Azula_ …is the only way to find her, then by all means. I’d probably do the same in your position. Maybe.”

  
Zuko smiled. “Thanks, Emi.”

  
Once the dishes had been cleared away, Zuko and Emi headed back to their rooms. She paused at her doorway, leaning up to kiss her boyfriend.

  
“Good night, Fire Lord,” she murmured with a smile.

  
“Good night, Emi,” Zuko replied, kissing her again before heading down the hall to his own room.

  
Emi closed her door, frowning in disappointment. She had hoped that Zuko would have stayed with her tonight, considering they hadn’t seen each other in months. She then shook her head a moment later, chastising herself; he had been dealing with a lot, and had only just gotten back on his feet. Surely he had more pressing matters on his mind than doing something like that with her.

  
So Emi went to her dresser, gathering her night clothes and getting changed. After releasing her hair from its half braid and brushing it out, she burrowed underneath her covers. Yuuka, rather than settling down on the pillow by Emi’s head as she often did, instead flew out the balcony doors and into the night. Emi merely shrugged, sighing softly and allowing herself to drift away. She had nearly fallen asleep when she felt a weight settle down behind her.

  
“Did you really think after being away from you for nine months that I would be content with merely kissing you?” she heard Zuko whisper to her as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

  
Emi smiled, turning to fully embrace her boyfriend. This was, she decided, the perfect way to celebrate her return home.

\- - -

A few days later they were back in Yu Dao with Katara, Aang, Sokka, and the some of the residents of Yu Dao to listen to the lecturer. Emi tried her best to pay attention to the older man as he paced in front of the curved table where they all sat, but the tone of his voice was a droning buzz that gave her mind permission to wander wherever it desired. She sat with her fingers laced together, her eyes automatically following the older man’s movements but they were glazed over as she thought about other things. Like the fact that Toph was unfairly lucky that she had other obligations and didn’t have to sit through this lecture.

  
“Tell me again how exactly is Boring Lecture Guy supposed to help us figure out what to do with Yu Dao?” Sokka muttered to Aang over Emi’s head.

  
“He’s an expert on ancient Earth Kingdom theories of government.” Aang replied in an undertone. “The Earth King thinks we should draw on the wisdom of the past to build a society of the future.”

  
“Even if the past bores me out of my skull?” Sokka slumped over in his seat wearily.

  
“You know, if anyone ever has trouble sleeping they could just get this guy to start talking about ancient customs,” Emi remarked idly. “They’d be asleep in no time.”

  
“We need a new way of seeing the four nations,” Aang mused. “Not-”

  
“Can you guys keep it down, please?” Katara hissed at them suddenly. “Some of us are trying to listen!”

  
“Sorry, Katara!” Aang apologized profusely while Sokka merely stared at his younger sister.

  
“Surprise, surprise. My boring sister likes Boring Lecture Guy,” he remarked with a smirk. Emi had to smother her chuckle with a light cough while Aang glared over at Sokka.

  
“Hey! That’s my girlfriend you’re talking about!” he snapped at him. But it wasn’t necessary. Katara bent some of the water from her cup onto her brother’s face, covering it with cold snow.

  
Both Emi and Aang had to fight to keep their laughter silent as Sokka hurriedly wiped away the offending snow.

  
“Professor, can you repeat that last part?” Zuko suddenly requested on the other side of Aang.

  
The older man sighed wearily. “A teenager is a teenager, apparently, even if he is head of state. I was explaining, Fire Lord Zuko, an ancient Earth Kingdom philosophy: family is in essence a small nation, and the nation a large family. Do you understand? In treating his own family with dignity, a ruler learns to govern his nation with dignity.” The man turned away, continuing with his lesson but Emi and Aang’s focus was on Zuko, who was staring off at the far wall with an odd expression on his face.

  
“Zuko? Is everything okay?” Emi asked him.

  
“Have you guys been listening to him?” Zuko asked in return.

  
“I’ve been trying,” Aang admitted. “But all I’m getting is blah blah blah.”

  
“Yeah, he doesn’t exactly…keep people entranced,” Emi remarked with a sheepish shrug.

  
“I put my father in prison and my sister in an institution,” Zuko said, frowning. “My mother’s been banished for years. What does that mean for my nation?”

  
“Zuko, that’s not what-” Aang started to say before Sokka interrupted him.

  
“The guy’s a blowhard!” he hissed. “Only people like Katara are taking him seriously-” His head snapped back as another puff of snow landed on his face, his sister glaring at him.

  
After what felt like ages, the lecturer finally dismissed the group and they all filed out, yawning and stretching.

  
“Maybe I should open up a school, too,” Emi remarked as they walked along the streets. “That way, I can have an excuse to not attend these meetings.”

  
“This stuff is too important, though!” Katara insisted. “We have to learn if we want to make a difference in the world.”

  
“Well, then at least get some one else to do the lectures! I swear, I could have slept for days with that man’s voice droning in the background!” She rubbed her eyes, trying to force the sleepiness out of them.

  
“Why don’t we just have Katara take notes and then we can read over them afterwards?” Sokka suggested. “Since she’s the only one who actually _wants_ to listen to the guy.”

  
Katara’s head snapped in her brother’s direction, her hands whipping out a stream of water from her water skin threateningly. He ducked behind Aang for cover, not wanting another cold dose of snow.

  
They parted ways shortly afterward, Zuko and Emi heading back to the ships to return to the Fire Nation while Katara, Sokka, and Aang waved goodbye to them. She stood at the deck, breathing in the sea air as they pulled away from Earth Kingdom shores. Zuko came to stand beside her a few minutes later.

  
“You know, sometimes, when the wind was just right, I could smell the sea from Haruka’s cottage,” Emi remarked to him, tickling Yuuka’s chin as she sat on her shoulder. “I’ve always loved the scent.”

  
“Did you ever find out anything about what happened between her and your mother?” Zuko asked.

  
“No,” Emi sighed. “I tried looking through the city records in Ba Sing Se while you were unconscious, but I never found anything about them. It was so long ago, though. Whatever it was, it’s in the past. And they’re both dead, so it wouldn’t matter anyway.”

  
“It would matter to you. Wouldn’t it?”

  
Emi frowned, thinking. “I…don‘t know, honestly. I think, for now at least, it’s enough to know that they came together one last time before my mother died. And Haruka cared enough for her daughter to grant her last wish.”

  
Zuko nodded, his eyes scanning the horizon. “I’m going to visit the institution where my sister is, and bring her to my father when we get back home,” he said. “Hopefully she can get him to talk. And then, I can find my mother.”

  
“Just be careful, Zuko,” Emi said, running her hand along his cheek. “Maybe bring Suki and Ty Lee with you? As back up.”

  
“I will,” he promised, kissing her forehead. They fell into another silence, watching the sea pass them by as they sailed back to their home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So over the course of the next few months (I say months because I'm an incorrigible procrastinator, as evident by the times I put off updating my stories...) I will be going back over my stories and doing some editing. Apparently there's a fair amount of grammatical and structural mistakes, and I'd really rather not let them linger for much longer. At the end of the day it's not that big of a deal, since they're just stories for entertainment, but I feel like it takes away from the immersion.


	8. Deal with the Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two reasons for my tardiness: one, I've been obsessed with trying to master my new digital drawing tablet. Two, I'm in the process of moving house. Still a couple of months before we need to be moved, but my family and I have a lot of shit to go through.
> 
> Okay enough excuses hope you enjoy this chapter!

Deal with the Devil

 

Zuko approached the prison cell where Suki and Ty Lee stood, on guard and on high alert for any foreign sounds. Within the cell his sister, Azula, was sitting with their father. But for all his efforts, it seemed neither of them had said so much as a peep, even after nearly a week of these meetings. Zuko sighed, looking in through the bars in the door window.

 

"The Yu Dao Summit seems to have done you some good," Suki remarked. "You're more upbeat than-"

 

"My usual, dour self?" Zuko supplied.

 

"I didn't say that," Suki reiterated. "I'm- _we're_ glad to have you back, Zuko."

 

"Aang wants Yu Dao to be the prototype for a new kind of city," Zuko explained. "One that unites the four nations."

 

"That sounds exciting!" Ty Lee piped up.

 

"It sounds idealistic," Zuko said. "But maybe the world could use a little more idealism." He frowned at the dim figures of his two family members. "Have they said anything to each other?" he asked Suki.

 

"Not a word," she replied.

 

"Not even 'Hi!' or 'How are ya?' or-" Ty Lee began to list off various greetings until Zuko interrupted her.

 

"Open the door," he commanded, picking up the tray of tea and cups he had brought with him.

 

"You're bringing them tea?!" Suki demanded, even as she did what he requested. "Zuko, they're your prisoners, not your guests!"

 

"They're still my family," Zuko replied tersely. He approached the chair where his sister sat. Her gaunt and tired eyes snapped to him as he came closer.

 

"Azula-" Zuko made to offer the drink, but she suddenly lurched forward, grabbing onto the straw of one cup with her teeth and effectively knocking her brother off balance.

 

"Zuko!" Suki and Ty Lee ran forward. Even when completely bound from neck to ankles, Azula managed to stand up swiftly, knocking her chair over and glaring at her brother.

 

"How did you expect me to drink tea while wearing a straight jacket, Zuzu?!" she demanded. "Did you want to watch me lap at it like some kind of animal?!"

 

"No, I-" Zuko tried to explain when Ty Lee leapt forward, delivering several quick jabs to Azula's pressure points and making her fall to the ground limply. "She's already restrained! You don't need to chi-block her!" he yelled to Ty Lee, leaping back up to his feet.

 

"Ah. My old friend Ty lee," Azula remarked as she gazed up at the other girl. Her eyes suddenly widened, taking on a manic gleam. " _Tell me how she got to you and Mai! How'd she make you lose your fear of me_?!" she demanded.

 

"You're not making any sense, Azula!" Ty lee said.

 

"Ty Lee! Suki! Let me handle this!" Zuko ordered. The two girls looked at one another hesitantly, but they backed out of the room while he helped his sister back up and into her chair once again.

 

"You and father are meeting for the first time in over a year, and I know these aren't the best of circumstances,' he explained to Azula. "I thought the tea might lend a little...dignity."

 

Azula craned her head back on her chair to gaze up at Zuko with a dull expression. "You want dignity? Let father and me talk to one another like human beings. In private."

 

"...Fine," Zuko relented, leaving the cell and shutting the door, closing the window as well. "We'll give them half an hour," he said to the two Kiyoshi Warriors.

 

"Are you sure about this?" Suki asked worriedly.

 

"One is chi-blocked and the other has completely lost his Firebending," Zuko remarked. "They can't do anything but talk. Like it or not, Azula is my best chance at finding my mother."

 

"She's wrong, you know," Ty Lee muttered, staring at the closed door apprehensively. "I never lost my fear of her."

 

They fell silent then, waiting in the quiet hallway of the prison. Although he had assured Suki of his decision to let his father and sister have their conversation in private, Zuko couldn't help but feel slightly anxious. It was hard to forget how cunning Azula was; hell, she got her conniving ways from Ozai. Still, he had to let them have their way, at least with this. Anything to find his mother.

 

When their time was up, Suki and Ty Lee unlocked the prison door and escorted Azula out. The former princess remained silent as she was placed back into her wheelchair, the whole group trooping out of the prison and heading back toward the Fire Nation capital.

 

Once they got close enough, Zuko took over for Suki, pushing his sister along the road. "Suki, Ty Lee, I appreciate your help tonight. Go get some rest. I'll take it from here," he said.

 

"Zuko, I'd feel a lot better if we accompanied you the rest of the way," Suki prompted, worried.

 

"No, I can escort Azula on my own," Zuko replied. "I insist."

 

"Be careful!" Ty Lee warned as she and Suki moved away. "The chi-blocking's going to wear off soon!"

 

"Don't worry. She's not going anywhere," Zuko said, turning away and pushing sister down the road once more. "So what did you and father talk about?" he asked.

 

"Oh, the usual," Azula remarked dryly. "He asked about the weather. I told him how much I'm enjoying the scrumptious food they have at the nuthouse."

 

Zuko grimaced at that, but he kept his tone light and friendly. "I've asked the palace staff to prepare your old room. I'd like you to stay there instead of the institution." _Emi won't like it, though,_ he mused to himself. He hadn't yet told his girlfriend that he had planned to have his sister come live at the palace. Emi was an understanding person, but considering her last interaction with Azula had almost killed her, he knew she wouldn't be warm to the idea.

 

"You'll be guarded every minute of the day, of course," Zuko continued. "But it'll be more comfortable for you."

 

"Have you ever been chi-blocked, Zuzu?" Azula asked out of the blue.

 

"No."

 

"Funny thing. All your joints go soft like they're made of melted wax. Then, for just a few moments as your strength returns, you find yourself more flexible than you ever thought possible."

 

Zuko's eyes widened as Azula's arm snaked its way out the top of her straight jacket, lightning crackling at her fingertips. With lithe speed, she shot her arm out at Zuko, the lightning streaking his way. He managed to dodge just in time, leaping back around to find his sister tearing her way out of the straight jacket.

 

"Stop!" he yelled, firing a swift ball of fire. Azula dropped down onto her hands, his attack breaking the chains around her ankles. Completely free now, she swiped out a blue streak of fire, which Zuko managed to block. However, Azula used that brief pause to run away, punching through the wall that surrounded the palace nearby in a blaze of fire.

 

\- - -

 

Emi's eyes snapped opened at the distant crashing sound. She sat up in her bed cautiously, Yuuka twitching her nose nervously next to her. Emi strained her ears for the next few moments, listening closely for any further disturbances. However, she could detect none. She almost wondered if she had made up the sound to begin with.

 

But even as that thought crossed her mind, her instincts rebelled. No, something was amiss. Emi knew it.

 

"Stay here, Yuuka," she murmured to her sugar glider, sliding out of her bed and grabbing her staff. Emi crept out of her room, looking up and down the hallway before tiptoeing toward the source of the original crashing noises. As she ventured farther along, she could hear voices, their tones hushed and panicked.

 

Emi steeled herself, rounding a corner to see two of the palace guards helping another up to his feet. Nearby, there was a gaping hole in the wall, the edges still smoldering from the flames that had blasted it open.

 

"What happened?!" Emi asked, her eyes wide as she took in the damage.

 

"Lady Airbender, you must get back to your room immediately!" one of the guards implored, stepping toward her. "It's not safe for you here!"

 

"What's going on? Where's Zuko?" Emi demanded, refusing to budge.

 

"The Fire Lord is dealing with the matter, miss," another guard spoke up, her expression stern. "Do not worry yourself. Please, go back to your room."

 

Emi scowled, ready to stand her ground until she got some answers when they all heard the sound of laughter. Very familiar, very cold laughter in the distance.

 

"...Azula?" Emi gasped, her head turned to the source of the laughter. When she looked back at the guards, the terror on their faces was all the confirmation she needed.

 

Without another thought, Emi pelted back down the hall, running toward the mad princess. _How the_ hell _did she get here?!_ Emi wondered incredulously. _She's supposed to be at the institution!_

 

As she ran down the hall, Emi noticed a small room to her right. It was sparsely furnished, more of a place for quiet reflection than anything. However, the large etching of the Fire Nation symbol had been pushed aside, revealing an opening in the wall with a small flight of stairs heading downward. From within, she could hear two distinct voices; Zuko's and Azula's.

 

"Azula, what's wrong with you?!" Zuko's angry voice demanded as Emi made her way down the stairs cautiously.

 

"Why don't you ask _her_ that?! I'm sure she'd be happy to tell you!" Azula's voice snapped back, her old madness apparently still prominent even after all this time.

 

Emi parted the curtains of the doorway at the bottom of the stairs. The room she found the two siblings in was a bit cluttered, filled with odds and ends that she couldn't make sense of. On the other side from where she was, Zuko stood with his back to her while his sister was hunched over, gripping her head as if it was in pain.

 

"Look, believe it or not, dear brother, I want to find her as much as you do," Azula sniped. "So I'll tell you what was in those letters, on one condition..." 

 

She looked back up at her brother, her golden eyes gleaming with a fervor that sent chills down Emi's spine. Her blood ran cold, though, when the former princess' eyes snapped to hers, her expression contorting with fury.

 

" _You_!" Azula hissed, taking a step toward Emi. Emi lifted up her staff, ready to defend herself when Zuko whirled around, his own shock evident.

 

"Emi?! What are you doing here?!" he demanded.

 

"So it is true!" Azula continued, her manic stare glued to Emi. "And here I thought father was merely jesting! But you actually have that air peasant living _here_! In the _palace_!"

 

"Azula, enough!" Zuko snapped at his sister before rounding on Emi. "What are you doing here?! You should be asleep!"

 

"Oh, well, sorry I find it difficult to sleep when there's a madwoman running around!" Emi spat back. "Maybe you should explain what _she's_ doing here! You said you were only taking her out of the institution to get answers about your mother!"

 

"Well, if a certain little rat hadn't come barging in, Zuzu would have the answers he so desires!" Azula retorted before Zuko could say anything.

 

"Stop it! Both of you!" Zuko commanded. Both girls fell into a tense silence, glaring at one another. He heaved a sigh and turned back to his sister. "Azula, what is it you want in return for helping me?"

 

Azula grinned wickedly. "Why, I want to join you on your little quest, of course. She's my mother, too, you know. It'll be like the good old days. Well, it would have been if you hadn't been such a sniveling coward. But," her gaze hardened, "I want my dignity. No chains. No guards. I will travel as a free woman. If you can't agree to that," she shrugged carelessly, "then I guess we'll never find out what happened to our dear mother."

 

Zuko didn't say anything for a moment, staring his sister down. "Fine," he eventually said. "It's a deal. But my friends will be coming with us as well."

 

"Humph," Azula scoffed, tossing her hair casually aside. "Whatever you wish, brother. Mother was born and raised in a pitiful little town called Hura'a. I have no doubt she crawled her way back there after being banished."

 

Emi and Zuko looked at one another; she could see the painful hope in his eyes. At the very least, it was a start. She stood aside as Zuko called over some guards to escort Azula back to her old room. They were clearly reluctant, but did as their Fire Lord bid them.

 

As for Emi, she couldn't stop obsessing over the fact that Azula was being given so much freedom and leeway. Azula; the same person who tried to kill them all; even her own brother.

 

"Look, I get that she's your last chance," Emi remarked to Zuko as they walked back to their own rooms for the night. "But...this doesn't feel right! She could easily betray you! She could trick you and then abandon you the second she sees her opening! Or worse!"

 

"I know, Emi," Zuko sighed. "But she's still my sister. I can't just ignore that. Besides, that's why I want you and the rest of our friends there. We can all take turns keeping an eye on Azula. Hopefully, we'll be able to find our mother without too much trouble."

 

"Somehow, Zuko, I highly doubt that," Emi grumbled. Then she sighed. "But...okay. I still don't like it, though."

 

"I know you don't," he remarked with a small smile, kissing her cheek. "But I don't need you to like it. I just need you to be supportive."

 

"I will be, Zuko," Emi said with a small smile of her own. "I promise."


	9. High Tension

High Tension

 

Before they had turned in for the night, Zuko sent a message to Katara, Sokka, Aang, and Toph, letting them know he'd be needing their help and that they should come to the palace as soon as possible. He also sent out a message to his uncle to come to the palace as well. Emi was excited by that, eager to see her favorite Pai Sho opponent again.

 

Iroh arrived before the rest of their friends. He was perfectly happy to fill in for Zuko while he was away on his journey. He also seemed unfazed by his nephew's decision to take Azula along as well; if anything, he seemed to encourage it. Emi couldn't help but think that perhaps the older man had been away from his niece for too long.

 

Later that afternoon, Emi heard the ever familiar bellow of Appa in the distance. She ran over to the nearest window with a grin, seeing the sky bison settling down onto the ground and her friends all jumping down from the fuzzy beast.

 

"Zuko, Emi! Your friends have arrived!" Iroh called out a few minutes later. They both entered the main hall where Aang, Katara, and Sokka all stood, smiling at them.

 

"Thank you for inviting us to your home, your fieriness!" Aang greeted with a bow. "We've been out of touch for much too long!"

 

"Aang...it's only been a week," Emi remarked with a raised eyebrow.

 

"Where's Toph?" Zuko asked.

 

"She had to stay at the academy," Sokka explained. "Now that folks have seen the lily livers- I mean her students in action, everyone and their mother wants to be a Metalbender. Even the Yu Dao police chief went to visit her!"

 

"Geez, she gets out of everything!" Emi muttered under her breath.

 

"We came as soon as we got your message," Katara said. "What's this about?"

 

"I recently obtained some new information about Ursa, my mother," Zuko began. "It turns out she's from a small town called Hura'a on the outskirts of the Fire Nation. Me and Emi are going there to look for her. Uncle Iroh's agreed to watch over things here while I'm gone." He gestured back to the older man, who smiled serenely.

 

"May you find who, and what, you are searching for, my nephew," he said.

 

"That's great, Zuko!" Aang exclaimed. "But it sounds like you've got everything covered."

 

"So why do you need us?" Katara added.

 

Zuko sighed. "The information about my mother came at a cost, you see-"

 

"Zuko, behind you!" Aang suddenly yelled while Katara whipped out a stream of her water, looking furious. Emi and Zuko looked around to see Azula had made her entrance.

 

"How did you escape, Azula?!" Katara demanded while she flung out her water, the liquid separating into hard shards of ice.

 

"Katara, wait!" Zuko yelled to his friend. Azula merely stepped to the side, the ice shards flying past her harmlessly and cutting holes into the curtains in the doorway behind her.

 

"Stay back! We don't want to hurt you!" Aang warned, creating a swirling ball of air while on his other side Sokka readied his boomerang.

 

"Speak for yourself, Aang!" Sokka retorted.

 

"Ha ha!" Azula laughed arrogantly. "Ignorant peasant! You really think you can take me on with a boomerang?"

 

"Let's find out!" Sokka hissed angrily.

 

"Sokka, _stop_! Let Zuko explain!" Suki and Ty Lee stepped out from behind the curtains at that moment, and Sokka's expression did a complete one-eighty as he greeted his girlfriend happily.

 

"Azula was the one who got the information from Ozai," Zuko explained. "Because she helped me out, we made a deal. She's going to come with me and Emi to look for our mother. And she's going to travel unbound. With dignity."

 

"And we'd like you guys to come with us," Emi added.

 

"No offense, but that sounds like the worst plan ever!" Aang remarked.

 

"Believe me, Aang, I completely agree," Emi muttered to him.

 

"Ooh, ooh! New nickname for Zuko! How about Bad Decision Lord?" Sokka piped up as he hugged Suki.

 

"Ever since my nephew ascended to the throne, he has yearned for peace," Iroh interjected smoothly at that moment. "Finding Ursa may bring that peace. And not just for himself."

 

Aang was silent for a moment, looking around at Azula. The former princess was glaring off to the side, determinedly not paying attention to any of them. A small smile of understanding graced his face.

 

"We're your friends, Zuko," he said to the young Fire Lord. "If you need us, we'll go."

 

"Thanks Aang," Zuko replied gratefully.

 

\- - -

 

The next morning they all began to make preparations for the journey. Emi and Aang woke up before the others, going out to greet Appa and Momo. Yuuka and the flying lemur zoomed around one another, chattering in their language and joyful with being together once again.

 

Not long afterward, the others came filing out of the palace. Azula trailed behind, looking just as she did when Emi had first seen the young woman. That did nothing to appease her.

 

"Good morning, Azula!" Aang greeted cheerfully. "Beautiful day for a trip, isn't it?"

 

Azula raised an eyebrow, looking from Aang to Emi. "Oh dear, you two must feel so awkward wearing the same ridiculous markings. Is that your way of worshiping the Avatar, air peasant?"

 

Emi glared down at Azula until a mischievous idea formed in her mind. "Actually, Azula, it's thanks to you I got these tattoos. I would have never become a master Airbender if I hadn't defeated you during Sozin's Comet. So, sincerely, thank you." She bowed to the scowling young woman, Sokka and Katara's snickers making her grin.

 

"Humph," Azula tossed her bangs out of her face and dropped her bag onto the ground. "Be careful when you put my luggage on that shaggy beast of yours!"

 

"Why do you have to be so mean all the time?" Ty Lee demanded.

 

"Appa has feelings, too!" Suki added.

 

Appa growled at Azula while Momo and Yuuka hissed. Aang rubbed his sky bison's nose soothingly. "I know, buddy. It'll only be for a little while," he assured his friend.

 

Emi made her way over to the others while Aang Airbended Azula's bag onto Appa's saddle. "I still don't like it, Zuko," Katara was saying.

 

"We'll need to take turns keeping an eye on her," Zuko said. "Every moment of every day, at least one of us has to be totally focused on Azula."

 

"Well, if worst comes to worst, there's five of us against one of her," Emi remarked with a small grin.

 

"I'll take first watch!" Sokka eagerly volunteered. The other three looked at one another in exasperation.

 

"I appreciate the offer, Sokka," Zuko began. "But maybe you should leave this to the benders."

 

"No, I got it covered," Sokka insisted, taking out his boomerang. "Mr. Boomerang and I didn't appreciate her 'ignorant peasant' comment yesterday. We're gonna show her what we're made of!" He strolled his way over to where Azula stood, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. "Time to go, Azula! And no funny business, or else; _wack-a-pow_!"

 

Azula zapped Sokka's boomerang with a brief flash of her lightning, making him fall over and drop the weapon with a cry of pain. Immediately her feet were encased with earth while Katara shot out with her water, freezing one of Azula's hands. Zuko and Emi ran forward, one wielding her staff and the other pooling fire into his fist.

 

"Sokka-?" Katara called out to her brother worriedly.

 

"I'm okay!" he assured her.

 

"Don't you _ever_ touch him!" Katara warned the former princess, removing her ice from Azula's hand.

 

"Tell your brother not to wave his toy in my face!" Azula retorted.

 

"We made a deal, Azula!" Zuko reminded her. "If we're going to do this together, you have to stay calm!"

 

"Keep your merry band of misfits in check, and we'll all get along fine," Azula sniped back with a smirk.

 

Emi shook her head in exasperation as Azula promptly left them to climb onto Appa's saddle, much to the sky bison's displeasure. Sokka got back up to his feet, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

 

"I changed my mind. One of you take first watch," he said.

 

They all piled onto the saddle, bidding Iroh goodbye as Appa took off into the air. Even though it really had only been a week since she had been back with her friends, Emi found herself feeling excited traveling with them once again. She leaned against Zuko, the wind relaxing her as Sokka looked around happily.

 

"Ahhh! The open sky above us, a daring mission before us, and friends all around!" he remarked. "Just like old times, isn't it?"

 

"Even better than old times!" Aang said with a grin. "Before, I always wanted to kiss Katara, and now I actually get to do it!"

 

Emi chuckled under her breath while Katara smiled lovingly at her boyfriend. "Aw, Sweetie!" They both leaned into one another, kissing tenderly.

 

"I for one could do without that part," Sokka grumbled.

 

"Too bad Toph couldn't be here," Katara remarked.

 

"Well, instead of Toph, now we have..." Aang trailed off, all of them looking over at Azula who sat regally in the saddle, her cold eyes glaring back at them.

 

"So tell me, kids. I've been dying to know," Azula said. " _Which one of you miscreants did she approach first_?"

 

"What are you talking about?" Katara asked.

 

"None of you had even met me yet!" Azula continued, getting more worked up and leaning toward the others threateningly. "How did she convince you to help her ruin my life?!"

 

"That's enough, Azula!" Zuko warned, blocking his sister from getting any closer to his friends. His clenched fist hissed with the promise of becoming a full blaze if she made another wrong move.

 

"Put that away, Zuzu," Azula remarked with a sly grin. "It's just small talk."

 

"I miss Toph," Emi sighed.

 

"You said it," Aang agreed.

 

For the next few hours, they settled into an uneasy silence. It irked Emi to no end, because if it hadn't been for the cold eyes that would stare at each of them in turn, the trip would have been far more enjoyable. The sun began its descent, casting the sky into an array of vivid colors.

 

"I think that's Hira'a up ahead," Zuko remarked, breaking the silence as he looked out over the saddle into the distance. "If we can't get there before sunup, though, we should set up camp. I don't want to enter town in the middle of the night like a gang of bandits."

 

"Good point," Sokka said. "Hey, Aang- _AH_!"

 

They all looked around, wondering what had startled Sokka so badly. Aang was sitting cross legged against the other side of the saddle, his face contorted into a bizarre and fierce look.

 

"What, it's not enough that we have one passenger who stares at us with crazy eyes?!" Sokka demanded.

 

"What's wrong with your face?" Emi asked in confusion.

 

"I don't know...but I can't help it!" Aang lamented, his voice at stark odds with the look on his face. "There's something out there...some kind of spirit. I can feel its presence. Especially in my face."

 

"Now that you mention it, I can feel it too. That's why I'm doing this!" Sokka remarked, widening his eyes with his fingers.

 

"Sokka, this is serious!" Katara scolded her brother.

 

"As serious as this?" Sokka morphed his face once again, looking very grim.

 

Emi frowned and knocked him over with a blast of wind. "Knock it off!"

 

Aang leaned around the side of the saddle, scanning the ground. After a moment, he let out a gasp and whirled back around to his friends, his expression once again his own.

 

"Did you guys see that giant wolf spirit?!" he asked them. "I think that's the presence I'm feeling!"

 

The others craned around the side of the saddle, looking for the spirit in question. "Did the wolf spirit look like this?" Sokka asked as they did so, stretching out his mouth and widening his eyes.

 

"There's nothing down there," Emi said. "Are you sure that's what you-"  Sokka's shouting cut her off. She and Aang looked around to see Sokka furiously wiping off the mound of snow on his face, Katara looking livid.

 

"What was that for?!" he demanded.

 

"We told you to knock it off!" she spat back.

 

"Azula get down from there!"

 

They all looked to the back of the saddle where the former princess had been sitting for so long. Only now she was balanced precariously on the edge of Appa's saddle, looking back at them with a smug expression.

 

"I can't tell you what a pleasure it's been riding with you all, listening to you bicker," Azula remarked with false sweetness. "Too bad not all siblings get along as well as Zuzu and me! Now that Hira'a is just a hop, skip, and a jump away, it's time to bid farewell." Her golden eyes widened then, her madness coming to forefront. " _I'll be sure to give her your regards_!"

 

With that she fell forward, plummeting down from the sky bison.

 

"No, _Azula_! We're up too high!" Zuko called after her.

 

"Don't worry, I'll get her!" Aang yelled, jumping off of Appa and snapping his glider open. Sokka leapt forward to take the reins, guiding the sky bison after the falling figures. Emi, Zuko, and Katara watched tensely as Aang caught up to Azula, catching her before they hit the ground. However, his good deed was repaid by a flash of her blue fire, burning a hole into his glider. Azula kicked Aang away from her, causing him to crash land the last few feet into the ground while she landed nimbly, taking off at a swift run.

 

"You guys go make sure Aang's okay!" Zuko yelled to them as Appa neared the ground, jumping out of the saddle. "I'll go after Azula!"

 

The three of them ran over to where Aang was slowly sitting up, a little dazed but otherwise he seemed alright.

 

"Are you hurt, Aang?" Katara asked, kneeling down next to him and checking for any injuries.

 

"I'm okay, Sweetie," he assured her.

 

"See?! This is what we get for trying to help crazy people!" Sokka remarked as Katara helped Aang up to his feet.

 

"No one said it was going to be easy," Emi piped up. "We're doing this for Zuko. He needs our help."

 

"If she pulls another stunt like that, I know exactly what we can do to help him," Katara promised fiercely.

 

Together, they ran off in the direction Zuko and his sister had gone. After several paces, they found the two siblings at a stand off once again, but this time Katara was having none of it.

 

"Out of the way, Zuko!" she yelled out to him, taking the water from the creek and swiftly wrapping it around Azula. The former princess fell to the ground, encased in the frozen ice. "I don't appreciate you trying to set my boyfriend on fire!" Katara stalked toward Azula while Emi, Sokka, and Aang caught up with Zuko.

 

"Are you all right, Aang?" Zuko asked.

 

"My glider's a little singed, but I'm okay."

 

"Then why are you making that face?"

 

Emi blinked and looked over at her friend, sighing in dismay as she saw his face had once again contorted into a oddly disturbing expression.

 

"I feel the presence again," Aang explained.

 

"Zuko, you gotta reconsider this arrangement with your sister," Sokka remarked, jerking a thumb over at the young woman.

 

"Of all the conspirators she could've chosen, why an uncultured-" Azula began to rant. However, a gasp of fear cut her off, her eyes wide and staring. Katara looked around too, her own eyes blown open in shock. Emi frowned, looking behind herself as well only to clap her hands to her mouth to stifle the shriek that would've been emitted.

 

Standing behind them, looming over an oblivious Sokka, was the wolf spirit Aang had been sensing.


	10. Revelations

Revelations

 

“Hey…that fear in your eyes…” Sokka remarked, smirking down at Azula. “So you’ve finally learned to respect the power of Mr. Boomerang!”

 

“Sokka, get out of the way!” Emi cried out as she and the others braced themselves. Sokka only had a moment to look confused before the giant wolf spirit snapped its jaws, coming entirely too close to his head.

 

“The wolf spirit must’ve left the Spirit World for a good reason!” Aang called out to the group as the spirit growled viciously. “So please, everybody, be respectful!”

 

“ _Respectful_?!” Sokka demanded, wasting no time in getting out of range of those sharp teeth. “Your spirit just tried to eat my head!”

 

“Those markings on its belly…they sort of look like a face…” Zuko observed, pulling Emi back as the wolf spirit snapped its jaws at the group once more.

 

“Hey, you’re right,” Emi said, looking at the markings more attentively. “Aang, that’s the face you’ve been making!”

 

“Yeah…I think I get it now!” Aang then leapt up into the air on a burst of wind, landing on a large rock column near the spirit. “Stop, big giant wolf spirit! Listen to me! I felt your presence earlier, see?” Aang made the same face he had been making before, mirroring the wolf’s markings. “Just like the design on your fur! I knew you were near because I’m the Avatar, the great bridge between the spirits and the humans! My friends and I were traveling to the town of Hira’a when one of us decided to go her own way. If we’ve disturbed you please, accept our apologies.”

 

The wolf spirit stared at Aang, its eyes appraising the young Avatar intelligently. Then, it suddenly lunged toward him, snarling with deadly intent. Aang leapt backwards easily, avoiding the sharp jowls of the beast. 

“ _Aang_!” Katara called out worriedly.

 

“Your ‘ _respectful_ ’ tactic doesn’t seem to be working!” Zuko added, fire pooling in his hands. Together, he, Katara, Sokka, and Emi gathered together, shooting their attacks at the wolf spirit. However, both the ice shards Katara created and the strong wind that Emi wielded only lightly stirred the wolf’s fur, and Sokka’s boomerang bounced harmlessly off of its hide. As for Zuko’s fire, the wolf turned its head toward the powerful stream, opening its mouth and swallowing the flames.

 

“Did…did that wolf just… _eat_ your fire?!” Emi gaped in shock, watching as the spirit burped smoke.

 

“And _burped_!” Sokka added, his eyes wide. “It ate Zuko’s fire and burped!”

 

The wolf spirit shook its fur and aimed its steely gaze back at Aang. The young Airbender readied himself as the spirit leapt toward him again with a roar.

 

“Come on, wolf spirit! I’m great bridge guy!” Aang tried to plead with the beast, hefting his staff in his grip. “You don’t wanna-”

 

Just then there was another roar. Aang jumped out of the way as Appa came flying onto the scene, growling with enough intensity to equal the wolf spirit. The rival beast bared its teeth, immediately squaring off with the sky bison.

 

“All right! Giant spirit animal mega-brawl!” Sokka cheered.

 

“Go easy on him, buddy!” Aang called out to his faithful partner. “We just want peaceful passage to Hira’a!”

 

“A little late for that…” Emi grumbled under her breath as they all stood back to watch the fight. Appa swung his heavy tail at the wolf spirit, the animal dodging just in time. It came running back, snarling viciously and snapping its jaws. Appa jumped into the air with a burst of wind before dropping back onto the ground, whirling around and waving his tail. As he slammed it into the ground, a powerful blast of wind knocked the wolf spirit off its feet, sending it flying several feet before crashing into the side of a rocky mound.

 

“Woo-hoo!” Sokka grinned, waving his arms in the air. “Sky bison: one, fire-eating wolf: zero!”

 

The spirit rose to its feet shakily, growling softly. It seemed unsteady, dazed from the crashlanding. It swayed from side to side, eyes clenched tightly shut.

 

“He doesn’t look too good…” Emi mused aloud, looking at the spirit worriedly.

 

“Appa, I asked you to go easy on him!” Aang lamented to his sky bison, running toward the creature. “Are you okay, big giant wolf spirit?!”

 

Before Aang could get close enough to the beast, it opened its maw and vomited violently. But it wasn’t the contents of its stomach. Instead, it spewed out yellow fuzzy insects with bright, glowing pink wings. Thousands of them. And they were all swarming toward the shocked group.

 

“It just threw up a cloud of moth-wasps at us!” Aang exclaimed.

 

“You are the grossest spirit ever!” Sokka added, swatting at a few of the bugs.

 

Emi grimaced, swinging her staff around along with Aang in an attempt to disperse the mass of moth-wasps, but there simply too many of them. “How did that spirit even have the capacity to hold all of these?!” she groaned, quickly shaking off one of the insects as it tried to cling to her shawl. Yuuka poked her head up briefly, taking one look at the swarm before squeaking in alarm and taking off to seek shelter with Momo as the flying lemur hunkered down on Appa.

 

“Free me, Zuzu!” Emi blinked, looking around to see Azula still immobilized on the ground. She had forgotten all about the former princess in the chaos of the wolf spirit’s attacks. “I’ll take care of those spirits for you.”

 

“We don’t need your help, Azula!” Zuko snarled.

 

“Oh right, because you and your friends have everything under control,” she sniped, looking pointedly toward Sokka, whose entire left arm was encased with several of the moth-wasps.

 

“ _Ow, ow, ow_! Did they eat my whole arm?! I can’t see my arm!” Sokka cried out, waving the appendage around wildly.

 

“Try not to hurt them! they’re spirit creatures!” Aang called out to the others even as he was himself swarmed by the bugs.

 

“Easier said than done!” Emi called back, trying to use her Airbending to push the spirits away from her herself and her friends, but with little success.

 

“Yeah, Aang, it’s getting hard to breathe!” Katara added.

 

“I know!” he assured her. “But if you hurt them, things might get even worse!”

 

“I’ll admit it, all right? I shouldn’t have run off on my own like that,” Azula continued calmly. “After all, we made a deal. And if you can’t trust your family, who can you trust?”

 

Zuko hesitated, staring down at his sister. He then glanced over at the others, watching as they tried to keep the moth-wasps off of them. With a grimace, he turned back to his sister and let loose a brief flash of fire, quickly melting Azula’s ice cocoon.

 

She quickly got to her feet, bringing the first two finger of her hands together as electricity crackled all around where she stood. Azula then shot out her arm, unleashing the lightning into the middle of the horde and scattering the moth-wasps. They flew high into the air as Azula let off another bolt, this time away from where the group stood. The insect spirits followed the bright light, and behind them the wolf ran after, all of them disappearing into the distance.

 

Azula turned back to the others, a smirk on her face as smoke rose from her fingers. “You’re welcome.”

 

\- - -

 

After they had recovered from the attacks, the group all settled down for the night around a campfire. Appa, Momo, and Yuuka were all fast asleep, as was Katara and Emi as they lay next to the fuzzy beast. Aang sat lotus-style by the reins, in a deep meditative state. Sokka and Zuko sat around the fire while Azula was huddle by herself away from the others. She had refused to seek warmth near the flames, or by the sky bison.

 

“After everything that’s happened, you’re still gonna let her sleep with her hands unbound?” Sokka asked Zuko.

 

“She saved us from the wasp-moths, didn’t she?” Zuko retorted. “I’m giving her a chance.”

 

“That’s a whole lot of chances for someone who tried to fry you,” Sokka mused, raising an eyebrow at Zuko.

 

“It’ll be fine,” the young Fire Lord assured him. “Aang, Katara, Emi, and I agreed to watch her in shifts through the night. Why are you still up?”

 

“I drank a ton of water trying to get the taste of moth-wasp out of my mouth,” Sokka explained sheepishly. “Now my bladder’s-”

 

“I get the picture, thanks,” Zuko interrupted hastily.

 

Sokka chuckled, looking around at the sleeping form of his sister. “Little cold tonight, isn’t it?” he observed.

 

“I thought you Water Tribe folks liked the cold,” Zuko remarked.

 

“Yeah. Maybe we’ve been away from home for too long.” Sokka got up, tugging a couple of spare blankets out from the bundle of his pack. He walked over to where Katara was sleeping and laid one over her before doing the same for Emi. He then walked back over to the campfire, plopping back down onto the ground with a sigh.

 

“After all those snowballs to your forehead, you still look out for her,” Zuko said.

 

“I throw witticisms at her, she throws snowballs at me; the relationship works,” Sokka replied with a shrug.

 

“Seems to me like you’re getting the short end of that deal.”

 

“Katara is my sister,” Sokka remarked. “When it comes to her, I don’t mind getting the short end of the deal.”

 

Zuko glanced back his own sister, feeling strangely rueful. “Do you have another one of those blankets?” he asked his friend.

 

“Sure. Here,” Sokka said, handing over another blanket. They both stood up then, Sokka doing a little dance. “So, I need to go-”

 

“Thanks for the blanket,” Zuko overrode him with a smile. Sokka grinned in return, jogging over to a thick group of trees and bushes to do his business. Zuko walked over to his sister, laying the blanket atop her shivering form. As he made to step back, he noticed a bit of paper poking up from her boot.

 

Zuko hesitated, warring with himself. On the one hand, he knew anything Azula had on her person was there for a reason, and it often wasn’t a good one. On the other…he was trying to give her a second chance. Trying to repair the family that had been torn apart. This would be an invasion of her privacy. Hell, she would see it as a betrayal.

 

Zuko grit his jaw, leaning down to pluck the paper from Azula’s boot. He stepped away a few paces back toward the light of the fire before he began to read.

 

_My dearest Ikem, it’s taken me a long time to admit it but you were right. I belong with you, and nothing is worth this pain. My one consolation is our son Zuko. When I look into his eyes, it’s as if I’m looking into yours. My thoughts are with you always. Love, Ursa._

 

“…‘Our son’…?” Zuko murmured, shock racing through his veins. He looked back at Azula, his brow furrowed. He knew exactly why she kept the letter. It was, after all, what she had always wanted. To be the Fire Lord. To rule the Fire Nation. It was something he had wanted, too. It was what he was now.

 

But…maybe he didn’t have to be anymore.

 

\- - -

 

Emi stretched luxuriously, sitting up and yawning as Yuuka did the same on her lap. The little sugar glider then took off to bounce around with Momo, both of them flying around and around Appa as the sky bison lay against the ground, still fast asleep. Emi smiled at the animals until she realized something.

 

“Hey, why didn’t anyone wake me up for my shift?!” she demanded, looking over at her friends. She then saw that only Katara and Sokka were present; Zuko and Aang were gone.

 

“We tried, Emi,” Katara said, smiling sheepishly. “You were dead asleep.”

 

“Yeah. You also tried to slap Aang,” Sokka added, chuckling. “That was hilarious!”

 

“Oh. Sorry,” Emi mumbled. She stood, gathering up her blanket and heading over to the stream to wash it. “So, where did Zuko and Aang go?”

 

“No idea. They were gone when I got up,” Sokka replied.

 

“Zuko seemed really anxious about something,” Katara explained, folding up her blanket and handing it to her brother. “I think he wanted to talk to Aang about it.”

 

“Hmm…” Emi chewed her lip, scrubbing her blanket vigorously. She hoped Zuko wasn’t too stressed out about his sister, though she _had_ made things exceptionally difficult for them yesterday. The young Airbender heaved a sigh and picked up the drenched blanket from the stream, going over to a nearby tree to hang it up. Once that was done, she took a few steps back and pushed out with her arms, releasing two strong blasts of air. Within moments, the blanket was dry.

 

“Hey, Emi, got another blast of air drying in you?” Sokka asked, taking another damp blanket over to her. Emi raised an eyebrow at the state of the cloth.

 

“You’re not even going to try and wash it in the stream?” she asked in return.

 

“He’s lazy, Emi,” Katara remarked as she made her way over to where Azula was still asleep. “You know he’s not gonna do that.”

 

“Be careful, Katara!” Sokka called out to his sister, shoving the dirt stained blanket into Emi’s arms and running over to the Waterbender. “Just because she’s asleep doesn’t mean she’s not dangerous!”

 

Both Katara and Emi rolled their eyes at that. “Oh please, Sokka,” Katara scoffed. “You need to stop being so paranoid-”

 

“ _I have proof_!”

 

Katara gasped, jerking backward only to be held in place by the iron grip of Azula. The former princess bolted upright from her sleeping place, her eyes wide and gleaming with a strange mania. Sokka and Emi ran forward, Sokka letting fly with his boomerang while Emi let loose a blast of air.

 

“Get your hands off her, Azula!” he demanded. Azula hissed in pain as the boomerang hit her wrist, and a moment later when she was knocked back by the wind.

 

“Are you okay, Katara?” Emi asked her friend worriedly as she and Sokka came up to her.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she assured them. “She woke up all of a sudden and caught me by surprise.”

 

“Mother…where…?” Azula mumbled, sitting up dazedly. Her hand fluttered near her boot, patting around. Suddenly, she shot to her feet, startling the three of them as she looked around lividly. “The letter! _It’s gone_!” she shrieked. Azula’s icy glare turned to the trio, pinning them in place with the weight of her stare, blue fire blooming in her fists. “Where. Is. _Zuko_?!”

 

“He's not here!” Emi retorted, steeling herself alongside her friends. “Just, please, calm down-”

 

“ _She told him to steal it_!” Azula’s manic rambling overrode her, her fire blooming even larger. “She’s trying to undermine me! Even after all these years…. _She will_ not _win_!”

 

She unleashed her fire, the boiling hot flames careening toward the small group. They all scattered, intimidated by the blue heat as it hit the ground where they had been standing. Immediately after Azula let off several bolts of lightning, destroying more of their campsite. As the flames began to eat away at the grass and trees, Emi and the others were split between trying to stop Azula and trying to salvage the landscape. However, amid all of the smoke and fire, the former princess had disappeared.

 

“Oh no!” Emi lamented, running over to Appa to guide him and the rest of their belongings away from the fire, the sky bison groaning in distress. “What should we do?!”

 

“We can’t just leave all of these flames to eat away the trees!” Katara said as her brother grabbed and bucket and ran over to the stream. “I’m sorry Emi, but we’re going to have to trust Aang and Zuko to be able to deal with her themselves!”

 

“I…guess you’re right,” Emi sighed. She picked up her staff and began to wield her Airbending around part of the flames, spinning the wind faster and faster until the fire was snuffed out. Sokka came back with the bucket, now full of water so his sister could use the liquid to help put out the rest of the wildfire. But even as they worked, the azure flames were steadily crawling their way farther out into the land, destroying everything that was in their path.

 

\- - -

 

“I can’t believe it.”

 

Aang and Zuko were sitting on the edge of a cliff, a forest spread out below them. Aang had the letter that Zuko had found in his hands, a look of disbelief on his face.

 

“It makes sense of so much of my life!” Zuko said, gesturing to the letter. “That’s why Ozai was able to banish me without a second thought; I’m not his son!”

 

“Then why didn’t he just get rid of you permanently?” Aang reasoned, handing back the paper.

 

“He was about to. The night before my mother left, my grandfather commanded Ozai to take my life as punishment for asking for Iroh’s birthright,” Zuko explained, peering at his mother’s handwriting. “Ozai didn’t even argue. He was just going to do it.”

 

“But he didn’t! You’re still here!”

 

“My mother must have stopped him somehow…”

 

Aang sighed, shaking his head. “I don’t know about all this, Zuko. It can’t be true! Or, at least it _shouldn’t_ be!”

 

“Why?” Zuko murmured, a small smile on his face. “All night, I’ve had this sense of…hope.”

 

“ _Hope_?!” Aang stared at his friend in disbelief. “What are you talking about?! If you’re not Ozai’s son, what’s that mean for your reign? Who is the rightful Fire Lord?”

 

“ _There you are_!”

 

Zuko and Aang whirled around, their eyes widening as they saw Azula step out from the shadow of the trees. Her eyes were clouded over with rage, blue fire sizzling amid her clenched fists.

 

“ _She told you to steal that letter out of my boot, didn’t she_?! she continued to rant. “ _Give it back_! _I’m not letting her win_!” Azula unleashed her fire, sending it flying toward Aang and Zuko. They both were quick to defend themselves, dodging her flames and retaliating with their own attacks.

 

“Where’s our friends?! What did you do to them?!” Aang demanded, whirling his staff around to disperse her fire.

 

“ _She’s not going to get away with this_!” Azula shrieked, punching out one swift shot after another.

 

“Go check on them, Aang!” Zuko urged the young Avatar, swinging his arm around to block his sister’s attack. “I can handle Azula!”

 

Aang managed a terse nod as he unfurled his glider, taking off into the air and leaving Zuko behind to deal with Azula’s maddening attacks. She continued to shriek and yell at Zuko, but he ignored her, focusing only on neutralizing her. He leapt up as a wave of blue flames surged beneath him. As he fell back to the ground he dropped to his hands and kicked out with his foot, creating an arc of fire flying toward Azula. Even though she was clearly not in her right mind her reflexes were as sharp as ever, and she managed to avoid his attack, kicking out and knocking the young Fire Lord to the ground. Her arm lashed out, snatching the letter from Zuko’s belt with a victorious grin.

 

“You tell her this _is_ my destiny!” Azula sneered down at her brother, jumping away from him.

 

“ _No_!” Zuko snarled, quickly grabbing onto her ankle and bringing her crashing to the ground. He then grabbed the front of her shirt, pulling her back up and dangling her in the air. “From the day you were born, you’ve put me through _so_ much! _Why,_ Azula?! Why’d our relationship have to be like _this_?!”

 

“Was this her plan all along?” Azula gasped, struggling in his grip. “Is she whispering in your ear right now to throw me over the cliff?!”

 

“You’re not making any sense!” Zuko insisted.

 

“ _All my life she’s kept me from my true destiny_!” Azula snarled. “Don’t deny it, Zuko! She told you I had the letter hidden in my boot! She told you to wait until I was asleep until-!” She suddenly stopped her ranting, falling still as a glimmer of understanding lit up amid the madness in her eyes. “Wait a minute…you’ve had the letter all night. Why didn’t you burn it when you had the chance?”

 

Zuko swallowed with difficulty, his grip slackening and allowing Azula to slip back onto the ground. She smirked up at him, her old mannerisms coming back to the forefront.

 

“It’s almost like you _wanted_ me to have it,” she chuckled coldly, making her brother scowl and turn his back to her.

 

“Look, we can spend the rest of the day- the rest of our _lives_ fighting each other, but it won’t get us any closer to mother,” Zuko said firmly. “We need to work together. No more fighting until we finish what we came here for. Agreed?”

 

“Oh Zuzu…” Azula simpered, standing up and crossing her arms. “Are you actually on my side?”

 

Zuko grit his jaw and began walking away from the cliff side. “Let’s go join the others,” he replied thinly. Azula merely chuckled, falling into step behind her brother.


	11. Hira'a

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that was a significantly longer break than I had intended. So sorry for the delay but I am back and we can continue onward with the story! Thank you all for your patience, and I hope you continue to enjoy the updates as they come!

Hira’a

 

Emi heaved a sigh of relief as finally, at long last, the flames were smothered. She, Katara, Sokka, and Aang were all exhausted; Azula’s fire had done a lot of damage and had been quick to spread. She was amazed that they had been able to stop it at all.

 

Just then, from within the trees, Zuko stepped forward along with Azula, the former princess much calmer now but no less cold and calculating.

 

“Aang, are we ready to leave?” Zuko asked as he approached the group. Emi scoffed, shooting a glare toward Azula.

 

“Your sister set fire to half the landscape!” Aang replied sharply.

 

“Even with Aang’s help, it took us until now to put everything out!” Katara added, aiming her own glare toward Azula.

 

“Nature hates you!” Sokka accused. The former princess merely flicked back a lock of her hair, peering off into the distance.

 

“So, uh…you guys aren’t fighting anymore?” Aang ventured, looking one from sibling to the other.

 

“We’ve arrived at an understanding,” Zuko said.

 

“That’s what you said had happened back at the palace!” Emi exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air in disbelief. “Since then she’s tried to kill us, like-”

 

"Like twelve times!” Sokka piped up.

 

“Thank you!” Emi remarked, turning her attention back to Zuko. “Look, I know I said I’d be understanding and whatnot, but this is getting a little ridiculous-”

 

“She’s my _sister_ , Emi!” Zuko cut over her sharply as Azula climbed onto Appa’s saddle, much to the sky bison’s displeasure. “I don’t expect you to understand what that’s like.”

 

Emi blinked, frowning at his sudden bout of anger. “Excuse me? What’s _that_ supposed to mean? Why wouldn’t I understand?”

 

“Because you never grew up with siblings,” he said, his gaze hard. “You couldn’t possibly know what having that kind of dynamic is like.” Zuko turned his back, joining Azula on the saddle. “Come on. Time to go to Hira’a.”

 

Emi swallowed thickly, feeling Katara pat her shoulder reassuringly as she, Sokka, and Aang all climbed up onto Appa as well. Azula peered down at her imperiously, a cold smirk plastered onto her face. Emi squared her shoulders and climbed onto the sky bison, taking a seat as far from Zuko as she could. Aang took up the reins and snapped them, urging his friend into the sky.

 

The next few hours passed by in a tense silence. Emi kept her steely gaze locked on the ground beneath Appa as the bison flew on. The rest of her friends kept their peace, though from time to time Emi could swear she heard the soft snickers of the former princess. The sound made her grind her teeth.

 

Before long Aang guided the sky bison toward the ground a short way away from the town of Hira’a. Everyone quickly dismounted and gathered their disguises together, knowing that going into the town as they were would attract far too much attention. But even as Emi admired their carefully constructed clothing choices, she had to raise an eyebrow at the way Aang had “hidden” his bald head and arrow tattoo.

 

“You know, Aang, the headband worked much better when you actually had hair,” the young Airbender remarked.

 

“Don’t worry, Emi, no one’ll notice!” Aang assured her confidently, to which Emi and Katara both exchanged doubtful looks.

 

“Hey check it out!” Sokka grinned, turning toward the ground with a white beard plastered to his face. “A fake beard made of sky bison fur! A classic!”

 

“Get away from me!” Azula snapped, curling her lip in disgust. “You smell like a wet possum-pigeon!”

 

“ _You_ smell like a wet possum-pigeon,” Emi muttered darkly under breath, the words thankfully covered up by Sokka sneezing violently and destroying his fake beard.

 

“I thought Hira’a was supposed to be a small town,” Katara observed as the group headed down one small street toward the center, where a large crowd was gathered around a makeshift stage. “Why is it so crowded?”

 

“Looks like they’re performing some kind of play!” Aang remarked with a smile.

 

They all watched the actors on the stage for a moment before Zuko let out a small noise of realization. “I recognize this scene! It’s the final battle in Love Amongst the Dragons.”

 

Emi observed the characters closely, admiring their colorful costumes and epic dialogue. It seemed the Dragon Emperor was fighting against a dark water spirit, colorful streamers flying all over the stage as the two fought valiantly against one another. The sight of the streamers did stir some unwelcome memories in the back of her mind; the last play she and her friends had seen together had been the one where Fire Lord Ozai had destroyed them and conquered the world.

 

Soon the battle ended, and the crowd let out an appreciative applause.

 

“The young man playing the Dragon Emperor this year was extraordinary, don’t you think?” A man in front of the group remarked to his companion. The woman nodded her agreement.

           

“Oh yes! Much better than last year’s fellow!”

           

“Remember when mother used to take us to watch the Ember Island Players perform this play?” Zuko suddenly remarked to his sister, a fond look in his eyes. “Afterwards on the beach, you and I would reenact this very scene. I don’t get why I always had to be the dark spirit, though...”

           

“Clearly, I made a better Dragon Emperor,” Azula replied with a smirk.

           

“ _Shh_! The best part is coming up!” the man in front of them hissed, turning to give Azula a dirty look.

           

“How _dare_ you shush me!” Azula spat, immediately infuriated. “Do you know who I-!”

           

“Azula, please!” Zuko hurriedly grabbed his sister and pulled her back before she disrupt the play any further.

           

“Though I was trapped in the body of a mortal, you willingly gave me your heart!” the Dragon Emperor was saying to a beautiful young woman clothed as the Dragon Empress. “I cannot help but give you mine in return.”

           

“Only with your glory hidden in false form could you finally recognize my devotion!” she replied, leaning forward to press her mask against the Emperor’s. At this everyone in the crowd stood up, shouting praises and clapping loudly. Emi and Katara sighed, moved by the romantic scene. Behind her, she heard Sokka give a small sniff.

           

“Aw, Sokka. Did you like the end of the play, too?” she asked with a playful smile.

           

“I miss Suki,” he said, sniffling again as his sister patted him soothingly on the back.

           

The crowd then began to disperse, still talking with one another about the play.

           

“Everyone’s leaving!” Aang said in an undertone to the others. “What do we do now?”

           

“Let me ask around,” Zuko offered, approaching the man who had been sitting in front of them before he got too far. “Excuse me, we’re looking for information on a woman named Ursa. I believe she lived here many years ago.”

           

“Ursa…Ursa…” the man muttered, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “Wasn’t she the Magistrate’s daughter?”

           

“Oh yes!” his companion exclaimed. “Rumor has it she-”

           

“Excuse me.”

           

Emi, Sokka, and Katara all jumped as the dark spirit approached them. The man chuckled softly, removing the blue mask to reveal a middle-aged man with a long nose and kind eyes. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you. My name is Noren,” he said, shaking Zuko’s hand. “I’m the director of the Hira’a acting troupe. Ursa was once a member.”

           

“Really?” Zuko asked, smiling at that.

           

“That’s right!” the woman gasped in remembrance. “She always wanted to play the Dragon Empress, but never got the chance! Didn’t she-”

           

“We should find a quiet place to talk, away from the crowds,” Noren interrupted the chatty woman, ushering the group along. “You’re all welcome to come to my home. We’ll share some tea and I’ll tell you everything I know.”

           

“It would be an honor,” Zuko bowed, the others following suit with the exception of Azula. “Thank you.”

           

They all followed Noren as he led the way through the winding streets of Hira’a. It didn’t take long to arrive at his home, a modest building with a view of the distant mountains. Once inside they were greeted by his wife, Noriko, who immediately welcomed them all warmly. Emi, Katara, and Aang joined her at the low table in the middle room while Sokka went with Noren into another to gather refreshments. Zuko and Azula took seats near an open doorway, where around the screen Emi was certain a small girl lurked, staring at them all with wide eyes. Noriko followed her gaze and chuckled lightly.

 

"Don't mind our daughter, Kiyi," she said. "She's a little shy around newcomers."

           

“You and Noren have a beautiful home, Noriko!” Katara complimented the older woman.

           

“How long have you two been married?” Aang asked curiously.

           

“Almost five years now,” Noriko replied.

           

“It must be nice,” Katara said, she and Aang smiling fondly at one another. Emi frowned lightly and glanced back at Zuko, who still had not said one word to her since telling her off for reminding him about how bad Azula was to them. Her gaze then fell to the worn tabletop, part of her wanting to apologize for doubting him and another wanting to stubbornly keep this icy silence between them going. _It’s not_ my _fault I never had siblings,_ Emi remarked bitterly to herself. _My parents died long before that could ever happen._ She then grimaced, chastising herself for even thinking that.

           

“It is.” Noriko’s voice brought Emi back to the present, her focus turning back to the kind older woman. “But you two are a little young to be thinking about marriage, aren’t you?”

           

Emi snorted, highly amused by the swiftly growing blushes on both Katara and Aang’s faces.

           

“Oh- We’re-!”

           

“Well- Uh-!”

           

“You know what? I take that back,” Noriko smiled brightly. “Love leads where love leads, regardless of age. Noren and I found each other pretty late in life. Young lovers like you are lucky.”

           

“Wanna meet my doll?”

           

Emi glanced back, seeing that the little girl, Kiyi, had finally approached them. Or at least, she had approached Zuko and Azula.

           

“No,” Azula sniffed, immediately regarding the child as too unimportant for her to even bother conversing with.

           

“Of course,” Zuko said, smiling at the little girl. Emi felt her own smile spread on her face as she watched Zuko and Kiyi interact with one another.

           

“This is Kiyi!” Kiyi grinned, holding up the doll.

           

“I thought _your_ name was Kiyi,” Zuko chuckled.

           

“It’s such a good name, I used it twice!” the girl declared.

           

“Well, little Kiyi has a very…interesting…haircut,” Zuko observed. The doll did indeed look a little worse for wear, the wispy strands that made up its hair sticking out in all directions.

           

“I wanted to make her prettier but it didn’t turn out very good,” Kiyi sighed, looking put out by her failed efforts.

           

“My sister did stuff like that when she was little,” Zuko said.

           

“That’s right,” Azula sneered wickedly. “Only I didn’t give my dolls _hair_ cuts, I gave them _head_ cuts! Would you like me to show you?”

           

“No!” Kiyi immediately drew her doll close to her chest, looking horrified by the very idea.

           

“Azula, stop it!” Zuko snapped at his sister.

           

At that moment Noren and Sokka came into the room carrying trays of teacups and other goods. “Kiyi, are you being hospitable to our guests?” he asked his daughter fondly.

           

“I’m _trying_ ,” Kiyi replied, sending another horrified look toward Azula.

           

“Mind if I join the conversation, dear?” Noren asked his wife before planting a loving kiss on her cheek.

           

“Just sharing some advice about love and life,” Noriko replied with a small chuckle.

           

“Ah! Well, you are Hira’a’s foremost expert on those subjects!” her husband smiled.

           

“According to _you_.”

           

“I must admit, I was a little suspicious when you all started asking questions about Ursa,” Noren remarked to the group as he and Sokka passed out the teacups and snacks. “But Sokka tells me you're drama historians!”

           

“How wonderful!” Noriko gasped, clasping her hands together happily. “It’s about time the Hira’a acting troupe got a little recognition!”

           

When Sokka neared the table where Emi, Katara, and Aang were sitting, Emi grabbed him by the collar and dragged him closer. “Drama historians? Seriously? What do we know about dramas?!” she hissed at him.

           

“We don’t need to know anything specific,” Sokka assured her with a confident grin. “We just ask our questions and get out of here! It’s perfect!”

           

“Well. He _is_ still ‘Idea Guy’,” Katara shrugged as Emi sat back on her heels, huffing in disbelief. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

           

“Ursa, the woman you asked about, was probably the troupe’s most famous member,” Noren began, drawing the girls’ attention back to him. “But not for her acting. Years ago, she was…well…taken to the capital city on some sort of official business. We’re not supposed to talk about her anymore, but people can’t help speculating.”

           

“Supposedly she married into the royal family,” Noriko continued. “This all happened before I came to town, but even I’ve heard the rumors.”

           

“What about…Ikem?” Zuko asked.

           

“Ikem…my you’ve really done your research!” Noren observed with an impressed air. “Ikem was an actor, too. Ursa’s boyfriend, I believe. He disappeared shortly after Ursa left.”

           

“Folks say that he ran off to Forgetful Valley,” Noriko added.

           

“Forgetful Valley?” Aang repeated in confusion.

           

“A forest at the bottom of the canyon,” she explained. “Just outside of town. The heartbroken go there to forget their lives.” Noriko then frowned, gazing off at the far wall with a furrowed brow. “You know, I vaguely remember hearing that Ursa came back to town years later, looking for Ikem. They say she went after him to Forgetful Valley.”

           

“That can’t be true!” Noren scoffed. “No one’s seen or heard from Ursa since she was taken to the capital city!”

           

Noriko nodded, sighing. “Well, if it _is_ true, it’s awfully romantic!”

           

“Romantic? Or tragic?” Noren reiterated. “Forgetful Valley is a dark, dangerous place. No one who enters ever returns.”

           

Emi swirled her tea, taking a sip as she pondered the couples’ words. Though she had to admit that she was as moved as Noriko by speculating Ursa’s potential devotion to her first love, Noren also had a point. A love like that could be dangerous, especially if it led to a place called Forgetful Valley.

           

Once everyone had had their fill of tea, their conversation turning to other, lighter topics, the group all stood up to take their leave, thanking the couple for their hospitality.

           

“Noren and Noriko, you’ve been more than generous,” Zuko said, bowing with his friends as they all gathered outside the little house, the night sky settling in above them. “Thank you for the information.”

           

“And for sharing your home with us!” Katara added.

           

“You’ll come again?” Kiyi asked, tugging on Zuko’s sleeve with wide eyes. Again, Emi couldn’t help but smile as she watched the two of them. “Please please _please_?”

           

“I really hope so, Kiyi,” Zuko replied, smiling down at the little girl. With one more bow the group left, waving goodbye to the family. It didn’t take them much longer before they returned to the clearing where Appa, Momo, and Yuuka were all waiting for them.

           

“ _Ugh_ ,” Azula grumbled, looking back at the small town with disgust in her eyes. “More than once tonight I was tempted to burn that whole place down! But I resisted for _you_ , Zuzu. I hope you appreciate it.”

           

Both Emi and Katara whirled around, staring at the former princess with unveiled shock. “How could you even _think_ that about such a lovely family?!” Katara demanded.

           

“Oh please, their charade disgusted me,” Azula sniffed. “Nobody’s _that_ happy.”

           

“Aang and I are that happy!” the young Waterbender shot back.

           

“Because you two are idiots. Just like my naïve brother and the air peasant. Although,” Azula grinned maliciously, turning her cold gaze to Emi, “it certainly seems like your precious happily ever after is in a bit of a mess at the moment, right, air peasant?”

           

Emi glared heatedly at Azula, wishing with every fiber of her being that she could just shoot a blast of air at the smug Firebender and send her to the other side of the world.

           

“Just because you’re so bitter about not being Fire Lord, that doesn’t give you the right to be so nasty!” Emi yelled, her patience at its end. Screw what Zuko had said, Azula was nothing but a pain for all of them. She was never going to change, she was always going to the horrible, spoiled, monster of a person that she had been during the thick of the war. He may not see it, but she did.

           

“Bitter? Please, the only around here who’s bitter seems to be you!” Azula shot back. “What’s wrong, does Zuzu not coddle you like the delicate little breeze you think you are?” The former princess scoffed, crossing her arms with a wicked smirk plastered to her face. “Grow up! You’re clearly not going to win this one; blood conquers all in the end. All you are is a weak distraction. He’ll toss you aside and you’ll be forgotten soon enough.”

           

“Leave her alone!” Katara snapped, coming to Emi’s defense. “At least she doesn’t terrify every man she gets close to!”

           

“Fear is the only way to control the weak!” Azula spat. Their arguing only grew more heated, their voices rising up into the night air as the anger sparked between the trio. Several paces away, though, the Avatar and the Fire Lord were oblivious to the growing tensions.

           

“I’m sorry I blew up at you this morning,” Aang was saying. “It’s hard for _me_ to wrap my head around all this; I can’t imagine what it’s like for _you_. Even so, I don’t think we should try to find Ikem. This is gonna sound harsh, but it’s best if he stays lost to history. We’ll burn the letter when we get a chance and-”

           

“I don’t have the letter anymore,” Zuko overrode him. “Azula took it back.”

           

“And you let her?!” Aang demanded in shock.

           

“We need to focus on the task at hand, and that’s looking for my mother.” Zuko looked his friend in the eye, determination backing up his words. “We’ll figure everything else out later, including where, and _who_ , I’m supposed to be.”

           

“What do you mean ‘ _who you’re supposed to be_ ’?!” Aang grabbed Zuko’s shoulder to prevent him from walking farther away. “Zuko, listen to me! When people come to your throne room and bow, they’re not bowing to you, they’re bowing to what you represent; a new era of love and peace! So, it doesn’t matter who your real dad is. You _have_ to stay Fire Lord! You’re not Fire Lord for you, you’re Fire Lord for all of us!”

           

“How much longer do you expect to keep this crew together, Zuko?” Sokka suddenly came up to them, jerking a thumb back at the three girls who were still arguing heatedly. "I give it another two minutes tops before something is either on fire, encased in ice, or blown all the way to Ba Sing Se!”

           

“One more place to visit and then we’re done,” Zuko said, refusing to acknowledge the spitting voices behind them. “We’re going to Forgetful Valley.”


	12. Nature Attacks

Nature Attacks

 

By the time Aang and Zuko finally decided to break the three girls apart, Emi and Katara were readying to start flinging their bending at the smug Firebender, who looked more than ready to retaliate. Even despite the boys’ interference, Emi was sorely tempted to strike the former princess anyway. At a sharp look from Sokka, however, she held herself back. Barely.

           

“If everyone’s done, we should be getting to sleep,” Zuko said, climbing onto Appa’s saddle and tossing down everyone’s bedrolls. “We’re heading out first thing in the morning.”

           

“Why?” Katara asked, catching her blankets as they were tossed to her.

           

“Zuko thinks we should go to Forgetful Valley and track down Ikem,” Aang replied with some bitterness.

           

Emi’s eyes snapped to Zuko, though his back was still to the group as he laid out his bed for the night.

           

“Are you crazy?!” Sokka scoffed. “Didn’t you hear what Noren said? Forgetful Valley is a dangerous place; only the truly desperate go there!”

           

“I _am_ desperate, Sokka,” Zuko replied tersely, his gaze hard as he finally turned toward the group. “I have to find my mother. I have to know what happened to her.”

           

“Now why would a delicate peasant like you be afraid of a little valley?” Azula simpered, raising an eyebrow at Sokka as a cold smile played on her lips. “Surely with your silly boomerang you’ll have no trouble fending off enemies.”

           

“Hey, my boomerang has gotten rid of plenty of enemies!” Sokka shot back, rising to the former princess’ bait. Before she could say anything else, Katara stepped in front of her brother.

           

“Enough!” she said sharply. “It’s late. If we’re going to be leaving first thing in the morning then we should really get as much sleep as we can.”

           

“Oh, so _you_ can fight with Azula but I can’t?!” Sokka demanded.

           

By way of answer Katara merely shoved her brother’s bedroll into his arms before striding away to make her bed in another part of the clearing. Everyone else followed her lead, laying out their blankets and settling down for the night. As Emi stared up at the night sky, idly stroking Yuuka’s fur as the sugar glider laid against her chest, she couldn’t help but wonder if this whole journey would be for naught. Noren himself had said that anyone who goes into Forgetful Valley never returns. Surely that meant there was something lurking there that would stand in their way of getting answers. Or getting back home.

 

\- - -

 

The next morning, true to his word, Zuko ushered them all along at a pace that was met with a gratuitous amount of grumbling and dirty looks. However, the young Fire Lord refused to be deterred, and as the last person climbed lethargically into the saddle Aang snapped the reins and guided Appa into the air.

           

The flight to Forgetful Valley was spent in silence. Emi watched the ground beneath the sky bison change from softly rolling fields to more rocky and mountainous terrain. Just as the sun was nearing the highest point of the sky, Aang angled Appa down, landing in a relatively clear area with a path branching off into a stone tunnel of sorts. The group all dismounted and made their way down the path, looking around at the high walls of rock with some apprehension.

           

It didn’t take long for the stone to give way to greenery, the forest before them made up of impossibly large trees and strange rocks with carvings etched into their stone faces.

           

“So, is this Forgetful Valley?” Emi asked aloud, looking around at the peaceful scenery.

           

“Yep. This is it,” Aang replied.

           

“How do you know?” Sokka asked. “Are you detecting something with your special Avatar powers?”

           

“No, it says so on the sign.”

           

Both Sokka and Emi whipped around, noticing for the first time a rectangular slab of rock half hidden by creeping vines that did indeed declare this area Forgetful Valley.

           

“…Oh,” Sokka said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

           

“So, where do we go from here?” Katara asked.

           

“I’m not sure,” Zuko said, his brow furrowed as he took in their surroundings. “There’s not even a path.”

           

“Come on, Zuzu!” Azula grinned, clenching her fists as blue fire bloomed from her skin. “For a true Firebender, there’s _always_ a path!” She then struck, shooting a fist out and letting loose her bending. The flames quickly devoured the bushes and vines. The group recoiled stepping away from the intense heat of Azula’s fire.

           

“What are you doing?!” Katara demanded. Azula heaved a sigh and cut off her attack, her brother and Aang stepping forward to reign in the wildfire before it could spread through the rest of the valley.

           

“I suppose one of you imbeciles has a better idea on how to proceed?” she asked with a heavy scowl.

           

“ _Any_ idea is better than burning down the whole forest!” Emi spat.

           

“What’d I tell you last time you did something like this?” Sokka added. “Oh yeah; _nature hates you_!”

           

“Quiet guys!” Aang suddenly piped up, doubling over in what almost seemed like pain. “I _am_ detecting something with my special Avatar powers! It’s kinda making me wanna go…like _this_.” He turned to the rest of the group, his face once again contorted into a strange expression.

           

“Sweetie, not with the faces again!” Katara lamented.

           

“No, no, I think Aang is onto something!” Sokka said, gesturing to their surroundings. “If you look carefully, there are actually faces all over the place!” He then reached up, yanking down a branch that had large leaves sprouting from it. Emi raised an eyebrow; there _did_ seem to be some strange markings on it that looked kinda like a face. Kinda.

           

“Check out this leaf!” Sokka demonstrated, mimicking the pattern on the leaf.

           

“Sokka, stop!” Katara scolded her brother. “Aang can’t help it, but you’re just being a jerk!”

           

“And that squirrel toad!” Sokka continued, ignoring his sister. They all looked over at the animal in question, the patterns on its back resembling another face, though much happier than the ones on the leaves had been. “And the bark of this tree! And that giant flutter-bat over there!” Their attention turned again, watching as the flutter-bat swooped over their heads. “Aang, the patterns on its wings sort of look like the face you’re making!”

           

“Hey, you’re right!” Aang said, his face still stuck in that bizarre expression. “Don’t fly away Mr. flutter-bat! I think we’re meant to be friends!”

           

“Aang, where are you going?!” Emi demanded as the young Avatar took off after the creature.

           

“You don’t know what’s out there!” Zuko added.

           

Aang didn’t listen to either of them, quickly disappearing from sight.

           

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” Emi sighed, exchanging exasperated looks with Sokka and Katara.

           

“Come, on, we have to make sure he doesn’t get too far away!” Zuko exclaimed, taking off through the wilderness after the young Avatar.

           

“And how unfortunate for us it would be if he did disappear,” Azula sniffed, rolling her eyes. Emi shot her a fierce glare, but the former princess wasn’t the least bit fazed by it. The group followed after Zuko, listening for Aang’s voice as he chased after the flutter-bat. After several long minutes, they finally came out of the foliage into a clearing dominated by a crystal-clear pool of water. Aang was standing at its shoreline, staring into the still waters. He turned as they approached, grinning widely.

           

“Check this out!” he said, gesturing to the large body of water.

           

“I’ve never seen water so still and clear,” Katara remarked.

           

“Like a perfect pane of glass,” Zuko mused.

           

“This feels so familiar…so tranquil…” Aang nodded to himself, smiling serenely. “It reminds me of Tui and La’s pool in the Northern Water Tribe.” He then turned to the group, his expression much more somber now. “Be respectful, everybody. This is a very spiritual place.”

           

“Yeah, it really is,” Emi smiled, kneeling by the clear water. She could see her reflection as clearly as if she had been looking into a mirror. Nearby, she could see Azula doing the same from the corner of her eyes. Then, suddenly, the former princess’ expression darkened.

           

“ _You again_!” she snarled, glaring down into the water. “ _Don’t you ever shut up_?!” She suddenly lashed out, sending a bolt of lightning into the water and disturbing the once peaceful clearing.

           

“Azula! _No_!” Zuko yelled to his sister while Aang grabbed a hold of her wrist, cutting off her violent attack.

           

“What did I _just_ say about being respectful?!” he demanded.

           

“She told you to lead me here, didn’t she?!” Azula shouted, her normally cool and calculated gaze wide with a manic gleam. “So she could keep tormenting me with her _lies_!” Azula yanked her wrist out of Aang grip swiftly punching out a flash of fire. Aang only barely managed to jump out of the way, the white-hot flames careening toward the forest edge.

           

“That’s enough!” Zuko stepped forward, blocking his sister’s attack with a wave of his own fire.

           

“You’re right, Zuko, it _is_ enough!” Now Katara stepped forward, swinging her arms up and bringing a large portion of the pond into the air, her own expression furious as she glared at Azula. “We’ve tried to put up with her, but she’s too dangerous!”

           

Before the Waterbender could neutralize the former princess, there was a faint swooshing sound that caught Emi’s attention. Mere seconds later, several lotus flowers came flying at the group, their edges gleaming with a sharpness that she knew had no natural reason to exist. Katara and Azula winced as the flowers cut through their sleeves, embedding themselves into the bark of the trees behind them.

           

“Look out!” Sokka cried, lunging out of the way of the deadly flowers.

           

“Who uses flowers as throwing stars?!” Emi gaped, staring at the stiff petals with a mixture of admiration and horror.

           

“It’s like the forest itself is attacking us!” Katara remarked in amazement.

           

“Because nature hates her!” Sokka scowled, jerking a thumb over in Azula’s direction.

           

“Heads up! More incoming!” Zuko warned them before swinging his arms out, creating a fiery shield that blocked a good portion of the flowers as they came flying after the group. Aang, Sokka, and Emi all joined forces with Zuko, using their bending and a trusty battle club to deflect the attacks.

           

“I think I understand what’s happening!” Katara suddenly exclaimed, running over to her brother. “Sokka, did you see how that flower shattered against your club?”

           

“Yeah?” Sokka raised an eyebrow at his sister.

           

“It shattered like _ice_ ,” Katara continued, kneeling down to get a closer look at the broken flower. “Somebody’s bending the water in these flowers!”

           

“Wait, _what_?!” Emi gaped, looking back at Katara in amazement. Suddenly she was pushed to the ground, the air above her stirring as something whooshed overhead. At the same time, it sounded like the trees themselves where groaning in pain, their bark creaking and cracking loudly in the clearing.

           

“Are you alright?” Zuko asked, getting to his feet and helping her up as well. It took Emi a moment to realize that it was him who had pushed her out of the way of the vines that had suddenly come to life and tried to make a grab for her.

           

“Yeah, I’m good. Thank you,” Emi said.

           

“Well they’re not just bending the flowers, now!” Sokka grimaced, swinging his battle club at another attacking vine. “They’re controlling the vines, too!” Yet another vine rose up, flying at Aang as he was distracted by the frozen flowers. Sokka reached behind himself, taking out his boomerang and throwing it toward the vine, snapping it in two. Just then Azula jumped forward, punching with a fiery fist as a fourth vine lunged after Sokka.

           

“Uh…thanks?” Sokka said uncertainly.

           

“The more peasants I have fighting for me, the better chance I have surviving this nightmare forest!” Azula sneered.

           

They continued to fight the foliage around them, everyone hard pressed to keep on their toes as vine after vine flew at them. Emi winced, one of the green vines grabbing her ankle but she managed to rip herself out of its grip and whip up a blade of air, severing the strand in two. Several more vines came to life, making a grab for Zuko and Aang. Emi managed to sever the ones going after the young Fire Lord while Aang freed himself of their grip.

           

“Hang on, guys!” Aang called out to them. “If we keep calm, we’ll figure something out!”

           

“How do you keep calm when nature’s about to skewer you?!” Sokka demanded as the largest horde of vines yet rose up and shot forward.

           

It was at that moment that Katara closed her eyes, breathing in a steadying breath as she shifted her stance, moving her arms in a fluid motion. As she shifted, the scattered leaves and the severed vines came back to life, following her energy as she bent the water inside them.

           

“Whoever you are, you’re not the only one who can Waterbend!” she called out to their hidden attackers. “Show yourself!”

           

The vines slowed their flight, stopping within mere inches of the group. Then, they retreated, slithering back into the undergrowth of the forest surrounding the pool. They all waited, watching the shadows warily. Moments later two figures stepped out; an elderly Waterbender wearing tattered Water Tribe clothes had her hand tightly clasped with the taller man beside her, also wearing shabby Water Tribe clothing and, Emi was shocked to see, an old yellow mask.


	13. The Mother of Faces

The Mother of Faces

 

The pair, Misu and Rafa, were siblings from the Northern Water Tribe. What they were doing in the Fire Nation, and in a dangerous valley to boot, Emi had no idea. But once the group had assured the siblings that they meant no harm, the woman invited them to stay and eat. The stew she served them was simple, and to Emi's taste a bit odd, but warm and filling nonetheless after a harrowing battle with nature itself.

           

“I apologize for attacking you earlier,” Misu said as they ate. “My brother and I just aren’t used to seeing other humans around here. When we heard the commotion, we thought a forest animal was disturbing the pool. It must remain undisturbed.”

           

“That’s what I told them!” Aang piped up, though Emi was amazed anyone could understand what he was saying around the large mouthful of food he was currently eating. “This is a very spiritual place.”

           

“That’s right, Avatar,” the woman nodded solemnly. “There are actually three other pools just like this in Forgetful Valley. They all must remain undisturbed.”

           

“Misu, this stew is delicious!” Sokka grinned. “It reminds me of-”

           

“The seaweed stew of the Northern Water Tribe?” Misu supplied.

           

“That’s it!”

           

She chuckled. “Rafa and I make do with what we can find here.”

           

“So, how did two people from the Northern Water Tribe end up in a Fire Nation forest?” Katara asked curiously.

           

“Growing up, my brother and I were complete opposites,” Misu began, her mirth gone. “I was quiet and studious. He was loud and brash. I followed the rules. He lived to break them. He’d often bring home things he’d stolen from our tribe’s most powerful people; a Waterbender’s pouch, a warrior’s club, the chief’s battle helmet. Each time, I yelled at him to return the items, and he always did. He just wanted to prove to everyone that he could do it. The people he stole from were always so embarrassed that he never got into any real trouble.

           

“Well, one day, his luck ran out. I found him alone on the ice, his face horribly disfigured. It changed his life- _our lives_ \- forever. I took him to our people’s most experienced healers, but none of them could do a thing for him. So, I helped him the best way I knew how. I went to the library and began to study. In an ancient Fire Nation scroll, I learned about a powerful spirit who would visit a certain Fire Nation forest from time to time. This spirit had the power to give people new faces; the power to heal Rafa.

           

“I made it my life’s mission to bring my brother here. I knew it would be dangerous for two Water Tribe folk to sneak into the Fire Nation, so I spent years figuring out how to use Waterbending to fight. I had to learn secretly, on my own, since-”

           

“Since in the Northern Water Tribe, women Waterbenders are only allowed to heal,” Katara said. “Things are different now.”

           

“After many failed attempts, we finally made it to Forgetful Valley,” Misu continued, laying a hand on her brother’s arm. “We’ve lived here ever since, hoping to encounter the spirit.”

           

“Why hasn’t your brother eaten anything?” Emi asked in concern, looking over at Rafa. He hadn’t said a single word nor did anything but sit and (seemingly) stare at the ground through his mask.

           

“Ever since his injury, Rafa has been caught between life and death,” Misu explained, a pained expression flashing over her features. “He doesn’t eat anymore. He doesn’t do much of anything.”

           

“So, you’ve spent almost your whole life trying to heal your brother,” Aang remarked.

           

“Of course,” Misu nodded with a small smile. “I’m his sister.”

           

“Of course,” Katara nodded as well, she and her brother smiling at one another. Emi looked over at Zuko and his own sister, but their expressions were more bitter than the Water Tribe pairs’.

           

“Sorry to interrupt your sob story,” Azula chimed in.

           

“Azula! Don’t be rude!” Zuko chastised his sister. She merely raised an eyebrow at him and continued.

           

“But we’re here on a mission of our own. We’re looking for a woman named Ursa.”

           

“I’m sorry, but we haven’t seen her,” Misu said. “The forest was pretty quiet until you all arrived.”

           

“So, the spirit you’re looking for,” Aang began, “what’s it supposed to look like?”

           

“ _It_ is a _she_ ,” the woman corrected. “I don’t know what she looks like, but when she approaches, the forest tells us. Face-like patterns begin to manifest on the leaves of the trees and, the wings of the insects, and the backs of the animals.”

           

“Hey, we saw that!” Sokka exclaimed. “So, the spirit must be near!”

           

“Then on a night like tonight, a giant wolf bearing the markings of a face travels from far away to drink from one of the forest’s four pools,” Misu said.

           

“That’s the wolf spirit that puked moth-wasps on us!” Katara gasped.

           

“Ew, I can still feel them crawling on me!” Emi shuddered.

           

“No, there’s gotta be something I can do!” Aang said determinedly, getting and walking back over to the edge of the pond. “After all, I’m the Avatar; the great-”

           

“The great bridge between the spirits and the humans, we know, we know!” Sokka interrupted with a roll of his eyes.

           

“I’m going to cross over to the Spirit World and try to get that giant wolf spirit to come here.” Aang settled onto the ground, assuming the lotus position and closing his eyes. At that same moment, Azula scoffed and shot to her feet.

           

“ _Bah_! This is a waste of time!” she snarled.

           

“Where are you going?” Zuko demanded. His sister ignored him, striding away from the group and disappearing into the trees. Zuko snarled as well and got his feet, taking off after the former princess. Emi wavered, wondering if she should go after them as well, if only to give Zuko a helping hand against Azula. Before she could make up her mind, however, Azula came tearing back, her eyes wide with that same manic gleam that spelled trouble for everyone around her.

           

“ _You hear me mother_?! _It’s not going to work_!” she screamed, lighting crackling at her fingertips as she stared down Misu and Rafa. As she let loose her electric attack, Zuko dove in front of her, blocking her sight of the Water Tribe siblings.

           

“I said _stop_!” he yelled.

           

Emi, Katara, and Sokka all shot to their feet as the lightning collided with the young Fire Lord. Zuko allowed the shocks to travel through his body, his arm shooting up to release the lightning straight into the sky with a thunderous boom.

           

Zuko then heaved in a breath, realigning his chi before staring down his sister, his fury rolling off him in waves. “Did you forget, Azula? I know how to deal with your lightning.”

           

“Whoa,” Sokka murmured. “I think I might be scared of you again.”

           

“Misu and Rafa have nothing to do with our mother!” Zuko continued. “How could you think-”

           

“But that’s exactly what she wants you to believe!” Azula argued. “Zuzu, how could you be so naïve?!”

           

“You’re right,” Zuko admitted. “I _have_ been naïve.” He then turned to Emi, Katara, and Sokka, a look of defeat etched onto his face. “Take her down,” he instructed them.

           

“Gladly!” Katara smiled, whipping out a stream of water from her water pouch.

           

“It’s about time!” Sokka added, hefting his boomerang out from its sheath.

           

“No kidding,” Emi remarked, a swiftly moving ball of air forming between her hand.

           

“ _No_!” Misu cried out as the trio attacked Azula. “The Avatar is trying to bring the spirit here! You mustn’t cause such a disturbance!”

           

Emi faltered, looking over at Aang as he sat serenely by the pond, his tattoos and eyes aglow with a soft white light. Katara and Sokka did not hesitate, however, hitting Azula with everything they had though it was clear the former princess was still as lethal as ever when it came to combat. Emi looked back over at her friends, wondering if there was a way to control Azula without disturbing this spiritual place, even as her feet were pinned with an icy blast from Katara, when a voice called out over the commotion.

           

“She’s right. _Stop_.”

           

Sokka jumped, whipping around to face this new threat. Everyone else looked around to see Aang had returned to his body and was now standing before them with a stern look on his face.

           

“Aang, you’re back!” Katara smiled.

           

“ _Whew_! It’s just you, Aang!” Sokka remarked, holding a hand to his chest. “This forest is so creepy, I half expected another creepyface!”

           

“Uh…you mean like those?” Emi pointed to the pond, where a multitude of pale faces were breaking the surface. Sokka leapt back with a strangled yelp, clearly unnerved by the strange sight.

           

“Listen to Misu, everybody!” Aang instructed everyone. “No more fighting! We’re about to have a visitor.”

           

For a few tense moments all anyone could see was the faces floating on the water, a few bubbles popping against the surface. Then, the bubbles became more intense, foaming and disturbing the glassy waters until a spout burst up into the air. The faces all flew up as well, surrounding the spirit visitor in question. It resembled a tree with long, clawed hands and several eyeless faces around its head, horn-like branches shooting up from the crown.

           

“ **I am the mother of faces,** ” the spirit said, her voice booming through air around the group. “ **Through me, separateness came into the world. Through me, came identity. The one became many.**

           

“ **I walk through my forest once a season, but never have I strayed from the path my wolf chooses for me. I do so now in deference to the Avatar, the great bridge between the spirits and the humans.** ”

           

“See, what’d I tell ya?” Aang whispered to them, grinning widely.

           

“All right, all right, so you’re great bridge guy!” Sokka hissed back. “Nobody ever said you weren’t!”

           

“ **I am a generous spirit, softhearted and kind,** ” the mother of faces continued to say.

           

“Maybe she knows where my mother is,” Zuko remarked to Aang in an undertone.

           

“Spirits know a lot of things,” he replied. “You should definitely ask.”

           

“ **Each season I grant one favor to one human. You may make your request now.** ”

           

“Oh no…” Emi gulped, looking from Zuko to Misu.

           

“Wait, just one?” Aang asked, also looking back at the two people who needed this spirit’s help the most.

           

“ **One.** ” The spirit drew herself to her full height, which was already daunting. “ **Humans like you often chase after me, begging for new identities. Have you come to do the same?** ”

           

“See, here’s the thing,” Aang said with a sheepish smile. “We actually need _two_ favors. I’m sure a big-and-gigantic-yet-beautiful-and-lovely spirit like you can handle two favors, right? You’re…uh, face-iness?”

           

“ **Do not test my generosity, young Avatar,** ” the spirit warned. “ **One.** ”

           

“They’ve waited for so long,” Zuko relented, looking over at Misu and Rafa. “If there’s only one, it should be theirs.”

           

“I’m so sorry, Zuko,” Emi said, taking his hand in her own.

           

“We’ll keep looking for Ursa on our own after this,” Aang added. Misu’s face positively beamed, her eyes watering with tears of joy as Zuko gestured for her to approach the spirit.

           

“Go ahead, Misu,” he said, smiling.

           

“Thank you, thank you!” Misu said bowing several times before coming to a stop at the edge of the pond. “M-mother of faces, on my brother’s behalf, I ask-”

           

“You’re such a constant disappointment, Zuzu!” Azula snarled, breaking free of her icy trap and striding past her brother. “Even when you’re strong, you’re _weak_!”

           

“Azula!” Zuko tried to make a grab for his sister, but she was too fast. She pushed past Misu, making the older woman stumble.

           

“We seek a princess of the Fire Nation named Ursa! Tell me where to find her!” Azula demanded the mother of faces.

           

“No!” Misu despaired.

           

“ **Ursa.** ” The spirit held out a hand, and the image of Ursa appeared. She was, Emi had to admit, very beautiful. “ **I remember her. I could not understand why a human of such beauty would ask for a new face. To test her sincerity, I offered her one as plain as can be. She accepted.** ” The image shifted, and Emi gasped in recognition. And she wasn’t the only one.

           

“That’s Noriko!” Zuko exclaimed in shock. “Azula, our mother is-!”

           

“She’s gone!” Sokka interrupted. Sure enough, the former princess had indeed disappeared.

           

“I know exactly where she’s going,” Zuko said as he ran off in the direction Azula had most likely gone. “Back to Hira’a; back to Noren’s house!”

           

“Wait!” Misu called after the young Fire Lord. “You’re trying to get back to the Fire Nation town just outside the forest?” Without waiting for an answer Misu moved her arms in a fluid motion, causing a large tunnel to form in the vines and bushes nearby. “There’s a shortcut this way.”

           

“Thank you,” Zuko nodded to the older woman.

           

“You were kind to us,” she replied simply.

           

“I’m sorry-”

           

“ _Go_!”

           

“Hold on, Zuko!” Sokka ran after Zuko as well. “I know sisters can be a pain to deal with, and mine’s not even crazy! You’re gonna need backup.”

           

“Thanks,” Zuko smiled. Before long, the two had disappeared from view. Aang and Emi ran toward the beginning of the tunnel, determined to be at Zuko’s aid as well.

           

“We’ve gotta help!” Aang yelled, looking back when he saw Katara hesitating.

           

“Yeah…but, who?”

           

Emi and Aang stopped, seeing that Misu was bending the water in the pond in an attempt to keep the mother of faces from disappearing. It broke Emi’s heart to see the woman’s efforts; if the spirit disappeared now, who knew if Misu would ever be able to find her again.

           

“Don’t leave us, I beg of you!” Misu cried out. The spirit stopped, though it was more out of anger than any attempts on the Waterbender’s abilities to keep her in the mortal realm.

           

“ **Foolish human!** ” the mother of faces growled. “ **How _dare_ you bend the water of my sacred pool?!** ”

           

“We’ve spent _years_ waiting for you!” Misu argued tearfully.

           

“She didn’t mean any disrespect, your face-iness!” Aang added, running to Misu’s aid. “She just-”

           

“ **Goodbye, Avatar.** ” The spirit easily broke the watery binds and disappeared into the pool, the ripples quickly fading back to the glassy surface that they had first seen.

           

“No, _please_! _Come back_!” Aang yelled.

           

Before either Emi or Katara could stop him, the young Avatar grit his jaw and dove into the water, determined to bring the spirit back himself.


	14. Remember

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been working on the sequel to my other ATLA fanfic. My muse would not let me go.
> 
> So. Yeah. Blame them.

Remember

 

Ten minutes had passed. Katara was pacing along the edge of the pool, wringing her hands worriedly. Emi was kneeling next to Misu; the older woman had her head buried in her hands, soft sobs emanating from her hiding place. Her brother remained seated behind the trio, oblivious to everything that was going on around him.

           

A few bubbles broke the surface of the water, causing both Katara and Emi to snap their heads around to stare into the pool intently. However, nothing appeared.

           

“Come on, Aang,” Katara muttered to herself, resuming her pacing.

           

“I’m sure he’s fine, Katara,” Emi tried to placate her friend. “He knows what he’s doing.”

           

Katara scoffed, glancing over at the young Airbender skeptically. “Maybe, but even for him this is reckless,” she grumbled.

           

At that moment, more bubbles began to pop up, growing in intensity. Emi stood up, moving to stand next to Katara just as the surface broke and out came Aang, flying high into the air.

           

“ _Aang_!” Katara and Emi yelled, the Waterbender using the displaced water to create a cushion for her boyfriend. Once he was safe on the ground, Katara released her bending and ran over to the Avatar, helping him to his feet.

           

“I’m all right,” he assured her.

           

“Um…guys?” Emi gulped, watching as the water in the pond was disturbed yet again. They all turned as the mother of faces reappeared, just as terrifying and magnificent as the first time around.

           

“ **Since the beginning of time, I’ve fashioned faces with great care and deliberation; with _all_ my heart!** ” the spirit boomed, hunching over the small group of humans. “ **In each face I put a piece of my own being! But then these- these _humans_ trample into my forest to make demands of me as if I were their servant! They dare ask me to replace my precious gifts with new ones! Do you know how it feels to be told by such insignificant beings that your work is inadequate?!** ”

           

“That’s not what they mean-” Aang tried to explain, but the spirit overrode him.

           

“ **The humans are so pitiable and my kindness so profound that I swallow my pride and grant their requests! Once a season, however, is all I can tolerate!** ” The mother of faces then leaned down until she was directly in front of Aang. “ **You, Avatar, are supposed to be the _best_ of the humans, yet you jump into one of my sacred pools and defile it with your presence! You scold me like I’m a child!** ”

           

A heavy silence followed her words, Emi and Katara watching carefully in case the spirit decided to punish their friend. Instead, she straightened back up to her imposing height, turning as if to leave again.

           

“ **Avatar or not, you humans are the same: selfish, shortsighted, insolent! Get out of my forest. And take your friends with you.** ”

           

All of a sudden, the forest came alive. Emi looked around with wide eyes as the trees and the animals glared down upon the group, all of them whispering the same demand; “ ** _get out_**!” She and her friend back up a few paces as Misu grabbed her brother and brought him to his feet, ready to take off at the first sign of an attack.

           

_Spirits, please, don’t let it come to that,_ Emi prayed fervently. Though with the mother of faces leering down at them, she wasn’t so sure they would escape unscathed.

 

\- - -

 

Sokka and Zuko had made back into Hira’a without any trouble, though they were both on high alert for any sign of Azula. All was silent, though, as they made their way to Noren’s home.

           

“It’s so quiet,” Sokka commented under his breath.”

           

“Too quiet,” Zuko agreed. They finally came upon the home, but they could see the lamps were still lit within. Both Zuko and Sokka pressed their backs to the side of the house and edged forward until the young Fire Lord was able to peer into one of the windows.

           

“Zuko, what’s going on in there?” Sokka asked after a few moments of silence. “Noren’s family…don’t tell me Azula-!”

           

“No, they’re fine. They’re eating their dinner,” Zuko assured his friend, watching as Noriko- his mother- wiped Kiyi’s face clean.

           

“ _Whew_! I thought maybe your sister had done something awful!” Sokka remarked in relief.

           

“Good thing Misu’s shortcut worked,” Zuko added.

            

"So…that’s really your mom?” Sokka asked as he stepped next to Zuko to take a peek into the window himself.

           

“That’s her.” Zuko watched the family for a moment longer before stepping away and heading around the corner of the house. “Listen, I’m going inside. Can you stay here and keep an eye out for Azula?”

           

“Sure. Anything you need, Zuko,” Sokka nodded.

           

A few short moments later brought Zuko to the front door of Noren’s home. He stood there, taking in a breath to steady his nerves before lifting his hand and knocking a few times on the wood. Not long after the older man appeared, looking unsurprised by Zuko’s appearance.

           

“Noren,” Zuko said, bowing his head. “I know it’s late, but I-”

           

“I had a feeling you would return,” Noren remarked.

           

“What do you mean?” Zuko asked, raising his eyebrow.

           

Before Noren could answer, there was a high-pitched squeal, and seconds later Zuko was wrapped by two surprisingly strong arms for a little girl.

           

“You came back!” Kiyi gushed. “You came back because we’re best friends!”

           

“Kiyi! It’s good to see you again,” Zuko managed to say, the wind having been knocked out of him by the exuberant child.

           

“Come eat dinner with us!” Kiyi tugged at Zuko’s arm, not bothering to wait for an answer.

           

“I don’t know if-”

           

“No, please join us,” Noren smiled, closing the door as his daughter continued to drag the bewildered young man over to the low table. Once there, Noriko happily served him a bowl, Noren joining them shortly after.

           

For the next several minutes Zuko watched as Noren, Noriko, and Kiyi all talked to one another happily. It was a foreign experience for him; all of his family meals had been spent in tense silence. Zuko relished the difference while at the same time unsure of how he should interact with the content trio. His eyes then fell on Noriko. His mother. After all these years, after all this time of wondering and hoping, he was finally within a few feet from her. And she seemed so happy. Happier than he ever remembered her being when he had been growing up.

           

“You haven’t touched your food yet,” Norkio suddenly remarked, looking over at Zuko in concern. “Is something wrong?”

           

“Do you do this every night?” Zuko asked.

           

“What, eat dinner?” Kiyi piped up. “Doesn’t everybody eat dinner every night?”

           

“No, I meant eat dinner together. Like this,” he reiterated.

           

“Yes, of course,” Noriko chuckled. “That’s why we’re eating so late. I insisted we wait until Noren came home.”

           

“I appreciate that, dear,” Noren smiled at his wife. “Rehearsal ran over.”

           

“So, what brings you back this way?” Noriko asked. “Looking for more details on the Hira’a acting troupe?”

           

Zuko frowned and looked down at his full bowl. “No. I came to find-” He stopped himself, trying to find the right words to say. After a moment Zuko looked back up at his mother. “Tell me, Noriko, are you happy?”

           

“What an odd thing to ask,” Noriko remarked, titling her head in confusion.

           

“Just answer me. Please,” Zuko pressed.

           

“Yes, of course,” Noriko smiled, laying a hand on both Noren and Kiyi’s shoulders. “I’m where I belong.”

           

Zuko took in the sight of the trio, pure happiness emanating from them like an aura. He smiled and stood up. “I’ve bothered you folks enough. Have a good evening.”

           

“No. Stop.” Zuko halted, looking over at Noren in confusion. The older man took his wife’s hand in his own, his expression somber. “Noriko, I knew this moment would come sooner or later.”

           

“What’s going on?” Noriko frowned.

           

“Go ahead, young man,” Noren said to Zuko. “Do what you came to do. Tell her you haven’t forgotten who you are.”

           

Zuko’s eyes slid from Noren over to Noriko, her expression troubled. He took a deep breath. “My name is Zuko. I am Lord of the Fire Nation. And…I am your son.”

 

\- - -

 

The cacophony of voices within the forest had reached a fever pitch, ringing out around the five humans. But worst of all, Emi’s fears had come true; the creatures all lunged toward them, slashing and grabbing whatever they could. Aang, Katara, and Emi all kept them at bay while Misu protected her brother as best as she could.

           

“Try not to hurt them!” Aang urged his friends, using his Airbending to blow back a horde of animals before they could attack him.

           

“I’m not saying I don’t agree with you, but it’s getting kinda hard, Aang!” Emi shot back, swinging her staff around with her own slice of air, pushing away the angry spirits.

           

Suddenly one creature lunged toward Misu. The older woman cringed, putting herself between the spirit and her brother. Before it could attack, Katara whipped out two streams of water, wrapping the liquid around the spirit’s fists and freezing them into blocks of ice. The spirit roared, falling back to try and free its hands.

           

“Thank you, Katara!” Misu said gratefully.

           

“We Waterbenders have to look out for each other!” Katara smiled in return.

           

“We’ve gotta do what they say!” Aang called out to them. “Let’s go!”

           

“No,” Misu straightened up, looking at Aang with determination. “My brother and I aren’t leaving this forest until we have what we came here for!”

           

“You can come back later!” Aang argued. “I’ll help you get back! But there’s no way the four of us can fight off an entire forest!”

           

“Aang, _watch out_!” Emi cried, throwing her hands out and unleashing a powerful blast of wind, effectively blowing away the flock of spirit birds that very nearly descended upon her friend and Misu and her brother. In doing so, however, she accidentally knocked off Rafa’s mask. She gasped, clapping her hands to her mouth as she and her friends all saw what had been hidden underneath.

           

“ _No_! _His mask_!” Misu despaired, immediately searching the area around them. “He needs his mask! Help me find it!”

           

“He- His- There’s-” Emi stammered, reeling in shock as she and Katara stared at Rafa’s face; or what should have been his face. All there was instead was a blank stretch of skin. No mouth. No eyes. Nothing.

           

“Wait, I’ve seen something like this before…” Aang mused, stepping closer to the sedate man. “When I met Koh the face stealer!”

           

“ **Quiet.** ”

           

All at once the forest silenced, the harsh cries for the humans to get out no more. Emi and her friends looked around, seeing the mother of faces looking down at them almost curiously.

           

“ **Repeat what you said, Avatar,** ” the spirit said.

           

“Koh, the face stealer,” Aang explained while behind him Katara, Misu, and Emi all helped Rafa to his feet, guiding him over to the young Avatar. “He’s a spirit who kinda looks like a big ugly sow bug with these big ugly legs and a bunch of big ugly faces. He’s-”

           

“ **He is my son** ,” the mother faces interrupted.

           

“Koh the face stealer is your son?!” Aang gaped.

           

“ **That is not the name I gave him, but yes.** ”

           

“Oh. Heh heh…did I say ‘ugly’?” Aang remarked sheepishly. “I meant, uh-”

           

“ **He’s been estranged from me since time began,** ” the spirit sighed. “ **The legends say that he missed me so much, he’s spent all of history stealing faces. How do you know him, Avatar?** ”

           

“We’ve met,” Aang shrugged. “And to tell you the truth, mother of faces, your son isn’t the nicest of spirts. He took someone important away from one of my past lives. And yet my past life spared him.”

           

The mother of faces didn’t say anything for a moment. Then, she suddenly reached out, pressing a giant hand gently to Rafa’s face. Katara and Emi watched warily, unsure of what the spirit’s motives would be now.

           

“ **I can feel his handiwork here,** ” the spirit remarked. “ **It’s been so long since I’ve seen him.** ”

           

She then gripped Rafa’s head in her hands, a light golden glow emanating from the space where her palm touched his face.

           

“What’s going on? Is she hurting him?!” Misu clung to Aang’s shoulder, her panic nearly palpable. At that moment, the light faded and the mother of faces released her hold on Rafa’s head. In the silence, they could a man gasping and wheezing as if he had not drawn breath for a very long time. Misu stepped forward cautiously, her worry a war with her hope. Suddenly Rafa turned, smiling wearily.

           

“Hey, sis,” he greeted softly, his voice thick from not having spoken for many years.

           

“Rafa!” Misu gasped, darting forward to draw her brother into a fierce hug.

           

“Thank you, mother of faces,” Aang said to the spirit, bowing deeply. “I know we humans can be aggravating. So often, we’re ungrateful for what we’ve been given. Maybe I was out of line when I asked you for two favors instead of one, but I really needed your help to restore two relationships: between a sister and a brother, and another between a mother and a son.”

 

\- - -

 

“When I saw you in the crowd, I recognized you immediately because of your scar,” Noren explained. “I had learned all I could about Ursa’s life in the royal palace. I knew it would come back to haunt us someday.” The older man bowed his head deeply. “Forgive me for not confessing the whole truth when you and your friends were here, Fire Lord. I had hoped to give you enough information to satisfy you, yet still protect my home here with Ursa.”

           

Noriko stared at her husband. “’Ursa’…?”

           

“That was your old name, my love, from your old life,” Noren sighed, looking over at his wife. “You were once a princess of the Fire Nation. You had two children, one of whom grew up to be the Fire Lord.”

           

“Mommy?” Kiyi scrambled over to sit in Noriko’s lap, looking from one parent to another with wide eyes. “What’s daddy talking about?”

           

“You don’t remember any of this because a powerful spirit altered your memories,” Noren continued. “I also have an old name. I used to be known as Ikem.”

           

“Ikem!” Zuko gasped. “Then…then maybe this is where I belong, too. With my mother, my sister…and my father.”

           

Noren’s eyes widened as she shot to his feet. “No…but that’s not possible. Ursa and I, we never-”

           

Suddenly there was a loud crash, followed by several more thumps and whacks.

           

“Fire Lord, what’s going on?” Noren asked Zuko worriedly.

           

“Stay here,” he urged the small family, moving toward the source of the noise. “I’ll go find out.”

           

“Daddy, I’m scared!” Kiyi cried, clinging to her father.

           

At that moment the noises moved, hitting the ceiling of the home viciously.

           

“Sounds like someone’s fighting on the roof!” Noren frowned, holding his daughter closely.

           

The thumps stopped, and for a breath all there was, was silence. Then, a soft sizzling could be heard. Zuko tensed, knowing that sound all too well.

           

“Oh no…” he murmured. Before he could do anything else the roof fell apart as a violent bolt of lightning came through, followed by Azula and Sokka.

           

“ _I said get out of my way_!” Azula screamed, kicking out with a flash of blue fire aimed straight at Zuko. He was knocked over, which allowed his sister the perfect opportunity to place herself before their mother, her golden eyes wide with manic fury while her wild flames began to slowly eat away at the family’s home.

           

“ _You_! _Finally_!” Azula hissed at Noriko. “ _I can’t tell you how long I’ve dreamed of this moment_!”

           

“Mommy!” Kiyi cried, trying to wriggle out of her father’s grip in an effort to protect her mother. Azula snapped her gaze over to the little girl, her expression twisting.

           

“Tell me, mother, _did you have to have a new daughter because your last one turned out to be such a monster_?!” the young woman demanded, electricity crackling at her fingertips.

           

“Stay back, Azula!” Sokka was back on his feet, sooty and slightly burned but determined to protect Noren and his family.

           

“ _Ha ha_!” Azula cackled, turning to glare down at the Water Tribe warrior. “Back for more, snow peasant?! Where’s your little toy?”

           

“Right there,” Sokka smirked, pointing behind the former princess. Before Azula could look she was slammed in the back of the head by his trusty boomerang. “Everybody scatter!” Sokka yelled out to the family as he caught his weapon.

           

“I need to help my wife!” Noren insisted, standing up and holding his daughter in his arms.

           

“Let’s make sure your daughter’s safe first! _Move_!” Sokka urged the older man. As he guided the pair out of the burning home, Azula was getting back to her feet, growling viciously.

           

“ _No more distractions_!” The young woman leapt toward Noriko, grabbing the front of her shirt and slamming her against the nearest wall. Azula lifted her other hand, blue fire coming to life and crackling with deadly intent. “ _You’re not going anywhere_! _It all ends right now_!”

           

“I don’t know…what you’re…talking about…” Noriko gasped.

           

“ _Oh really, mother_?!” Azula snarled, getting in Noriko’s face. “ _So, I’ve imagined all this_? _You haven’t been trying to take me down from the moment I was born_?!”

           

“ _Azula, let her go_!” Zuko yelled, getting back up to his feet and running toward the pair.

           

“ _Stay back, Zuzu_!” Azula snapped at her brother. “ _I’m warning you_!”

           

“If what you say is true…if I really am your mother…” Noriko reached a up with a shaking hand, gently touching Azula’s face. “Then I’m sorry I didn’t love you enough.”

           

Azula paused, her eyes locked with Noriko’s. Suddenly Zuko was pushing her away, the fire from her hand snuffing out.

           

“No! Get away from her!” he snarled.

           

Azula growled in returned and shot out with a flaming fist, her blue fire narrowly missing her brother. Zuko retaliated with swift arc of his own fire, Azula leaping over the flames gracefully despite the manic state of her mind. As soon as she regained her footing she lashed out with another punch, her fire colliding with one wall of the home. She followed that attack with a kick, the flames sweeping toward Zuko swiftly. But he dodged, even as she kept punching and throwing everything she had at him.

           

“ _Oh for crying out loud, stop moving_?!” Azula screamed, her fingertips lighting up with electricity one again.

           

Zuko stood his ground. “Don’t do it. I told you already, I know how to deal with your lightning. I can redirect it anywhere.”

           

Azula only hesitated for the barest second before she lashed out, her lightning streaking toward her brother. As promised he caught the bolt, quickly redirecting it back toward Azula, only at a slight angle. She was thrown back by the resulting explosion, but was otherwise unharmed.

           

“Don’t you get it, Zuzu?!” Azula hissed, gingerly bring herself into a sitting position amid the rubble she was surrounded by. “You and I will finally be free! You of the throne you never really wanted, and _me_ from this incessant nagging in my head!”

           

“No. You’re wrong,” Zuko said, stepping toward his sister cautiously.

           

“ _Oh stop kidding yourself_!” the former princess snapped, ripping the letter from out of her boot and waving it in the air. “The other morning when you had me over that cliff, why didn’t you just let go? You could have gotten rid of me and this letter! It would have been so easy! _Admit it_! You need me to help you be free!”

           

“In my heart…I’ve always known…” Zuko sighed reaching into his pocket and withdrawing the imperial crown. He reached up, bundling his hair into a knot and sliding the golden flame into place. “The throne is my destiny.” He stepped a little closer to his sister, peering down at her with a mixture of pity and sorrow. “That morning on the cliff…Azula, our relationship is _so_ messed up. It’s been like that as long as I can remember. And maybe it’ll be like for the rest of our lives. But one fact never changes; no matter what, you’re still my sister.”

           

“Shut up.” Azula had her eyes clenched shut, her grip wrinkling the letter in her fist. Suddenly her eyes flew open and she jumped to her feet, lashing out with her blue fire. “ _Shut up_!”

           

Zuko easily parted the flames, bending them safely out of his way. However, instead of pummeling his with shot after shot, Azula threw down the letter and ran out of the crumbling house.

           

“Azula! _Come back_!” Zuko called after his sister. But she kept running. He snarled and took off after her, Noriko following close behind. “Come back! Please! I can help you! I _want_ to help you!”

           

They quickly left Hira’a behind, heading toward the forest where the mother of faces had appeared. Azula paused for the barest moment, looking back at Zuko hatefully, though her eyes were overflowed with tears.

           

“Same as always, Zuzu,” she sneered. “Even when you’re strong…you’re weak.”

           

“ _Azula_!” Zuko yelled, but she did not turn back again. Azula disappeared into the dark forest.

           

“Fire Lord, look,” Noriko said, gently laying a hand on his arm and staring to their left. Zuko followed her gaze, his jaw dropping as the spirit herself was coming toward them, accompanied by Appa and two air gliders. As the gang landed on the ground near the pair, the mother of faces addressed Noriko.

           

“ **Human, do you wish to return to who you once were? Do you wish to remember?** ”

           

Noriko stared up at the spirit for a moment before clasping her hands together. “Yes.”

           

No, you don’t have to!” Zuko said. “You have such a beautiful life here.”

           

But Noriko did not turn, nor acknowledge the young Fire Lord in any way. The mother of faces leaned down, holding out her hand.

           

“ **Hold still,** ” she said, gently wrapping her finger around Noriko’s head. Emi and her friends watched as the same golden light wafted around the spirit’s fingers, working their magic and restoring Zuko’s mother to who she once was.

 

\- - -

 

Daylight crept back over the horizon. The group were all standing along the edge of Hira’a, looking toward the dense forest where Azula had disappeared.

           

“We’ll need to keep our guard up,” Katara remarked. “Sooner or later, Azula’s going to turn up again.”

           

“I know,” Sokka shuddered. “I get goose bumps just thinking about it!”

           

“But it doesn’t have to be like that!” Aang chimed in. “People change! I mean, gave that letter back to Zuko, didn’t she?”

           

“I thought he said she dropped it,” Emi mused with a raised eyebrow.

           

“There’s no way to know for sure, but I think she meant to do it,” the young Avatar said.

           

“That’s why I love you, Sweetie,” Katara smiled, kissing Aang on the cheek. “You always see the bright side of things.”

           

“How can I not? Look at everything that’s happened: we helped bring together a sister and a brother, and a mother and a son.”

           

“Yeah,” Emi smiled, looking back toward Hira’a where Zuko was getting reacquainted with his mother. “Just another day in the life, eh, guys?”

           

Back in the thick of the town, Zuko and Ursa were looking toward Noren and Kiyi as they sat by a camp fire just outside of their ruined house, making breakfast and laughing together.

           

“You should go to them,” Zuko said.

           

“No. You and I need to talk,” Ursa replied, guiding her son away from the pair and over to a quieter part of the property. “Zuko, what I said to Azula…I owe you that same apology. I’m sorry I didn’t love you enough.”

           

“Don’t say that,” Zuko frowned.

           

“But it’s true. I…I forgot you,” Ursa whispered, bowing her head in shame. “What kind of mother forgets her son?”

           

“Things turned out okay,” the young Fire Lord assured her with a smile. “I’ve got some good friends now, and a life I can be proud of.”

           

“And a crown on your head!” Ursa smiled in return. “You look so handsome, Zuko. I may not have a right to be, but I’m proud of you, too.”

           

“I know I’m the Fire Lord because it’s my destiny,” Zuko said, reaching into the pocket of his shirt and drawing out the crumpled letter. “Even so, mother, I need to know more about this.”

           

Ursa took the letter, reading back over her handwriting for a moment. “What I wrote in this letter…isn’t true. I wrote that to see…to find out if Ozai had been reading my private correspondences. He had. And he swore then that if I wanted you to be the son of another man, then that was how he would treat you. Ozai is a wretched man. To treat you like that just to get back at me, especially when you were so young…”

           

Zuko frowned, taking the letter back and looking down at the crumpled paper with a heavy heart. “But he’s still my father.”

           

“Yes.” There was a silence that hung between mother and son as Zuko continued to stare at the letter. “Tell me what you’re feeling, Zuko,” Ursa urged.

           

“I feel…I feel like things are the way they’re meant to be.”

           

“There’s so much I want to tell you…about your father, about Ikem, about my life here in Hira’a.” Ursa sighed heavily. “My marriage to Ozai was just so…so…”

           

“Wait,” Zuko stopped her. “I want to know everything. From the beginning.”

           

“Everything?” Ursa smiled.

           

“Everything."

           

She laid a hand against his arm, looking up at the lightening sky thoughtfully. “For you, my dear, I’ll start from the beginning…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So from here on out the story will be purely from my own imagination. Hope you all are still enjoying and looking forward to what's coming next!


	15. The Phantom

The Phantom

 

The sun had nearly reached its high point in the sky by the time Zuko came back to his friends. Emi was sitting near Appa, watching as Momo and Yuuka dove around one another playfully. The sky bison had long since fallen asleep, his soft rumbles vibrating through the earth. Katara and Aang were sitting up on Appa’s saddle, pouring over a map while Sokka was sharpening his boomerang next to Emi.

           

Emi looked up at the sound of footsteps, seeing not only Zuko, but also Zuko’s mother and Noren and Kiyi as well.

           

“Zuko!” Aang greeted cheerfully, jumping down from Appa with Katara close behind. “You find out everything you needed to know?”

           

“And more,” Zuko remarked, smiling at his mother. “Thank you. And thank you, Noren.” The young Fire Lord turned toward the older man, bowing respectfully.

           

“Please, I should be thanking you,” he grinned. “I’m happy everything worked out.”

           

“You’re gonana come back, right?” Kiyi asked Zuko, her eyes wide and pleading. Emi hid a smile behind her hand.

           

“As often as I can,” Zuko chuckled.

           

“It was such a pleasure to meet all of you,” Ursa smiled, bowing to the group. “I’m so pleased that my son has found such fortunate friends.”

           

“Well, we’ve had our ups and downs- _Ow_!” Sokka winced as Katara elbowed him sharply in the ribs, his sister shooting him a warning look.

           

“Zuko is a great friend. We are honored to know him,” the young Waterbender replied, bowing to the older woman.

           

“You weren’t singing his praises when we first met him…” Sokka grumbled under his breath, rubbing his bruised side.

           

“So where are you all off to now?” Noren inquired.

           

“First, we have to go back to the palace,” Zuko said, looking over at his friends. “My uncle needs to know what happened to…well, he should know what happened.”

           

“We should check in with the Earth King after that,” Aang remarked. “We still have to decide what to do about the colonies.”

           

“Right.” Zuko turned back to his mother, hugging her tightly. He was then engulfed in a tight embrace by Kiyi, the little girl clenching her eyes shut in an effort to not cry. After she was gently pried off by their mother, Noren approached the young Fire Lord and clapped him on the back, smiling genially.

           

With that the group all gathered atop Appa, waving goodbye to the little family as Aang urged the sky bison into the air. After a few short moments, the village of Hira’a was far behind them.

           

“Another job well done, gang,” Sokka grinned, stretching out in the saddle with his behind his head. “We solved a mystery, met a grumpy spirit, and got Zuko a new sister!”

           

“Seriously?” Emi raised an eyebrow at him while Katara whipped her head around, scowling darkly.

           

“Jeez, you have absolutely no tact, do you?!” his sister demanded in an undertone.

           

“It’s okay, guys,” Zuko said before Katara could start throwing snowballs at her brother. “I just hope she’ll finally find the peace she needs.”

           

“I’m sure she will, Zuko,” Aang remarked from his place by the reins, looking back at the group with an encouraging smile. “Some time away may be exactly what she needs.”

           

“‘Time away’…? Aang, you make it sound like she’s on vacation or something,” Sokka scoffed, rolling his eyes.

           

“How about ‘searching for enlightenment’, does that work for you?” Emi asked with a playful smirk.

           

“Works better than ‘time away’.”

           

Katara and Emi looked at one another, rolling their eyes at Sokka’s reasoning. For the rest of the flight back to the Fire Nation palace all that could be heard was the rush of the wind as Appa flew through the sky. Momo and Yuuka had ended up falling asleep by the group’s packs, curled up against one another while the rest merely watched the scenery fly by. Just as the sun was nearing the horizon, creating a mix of fiery reds and soft pinks amid the clouds, Aang angled Appa toward the palace grounds. Waiting for them in the entrance plaza was Iroh, having heard the sky bison’s bellow of greeting.

           

“You guys are welcome to stay for the night,” Zuko said to his friends as they all dismounted. “Then tomorrow we should head back out to see the Earth King.”

 

"Thanks, Zuko," Aang said, smiling appreciatively.

           

“Welcome back, nephew,” Iroh greeted, giving Zuko a firm hug. As they stepped back, the older man’s eyes cast a shrewd look over the rest of the group. “I see you and your sister have parted ways.”

           

“Yeah…well, that’s a long story,” Zuko remarked with a heavy sigh.

           

“Then we will need plenty of tea,” Iroh grinned, leading the way into the palace. “No good story can be told without a hot cup of tea.”

           

The group followed Iroh into a large sitting area, all of them taking places at the low table and accepting each cup of tea that the kindly man gave them. The rest of the evening passed in quiet conversation as Zuko and the others filled his uncle in on what happened at Hira’a. Iroh was quick to assure his nephew that he had every confidence Azula would find her peace in due time. The fact that she had abandoned the letter was proof enough. As for Zuko finally finding his mother, Iroh couldn’t be happier. He was ecstatic to learn that Ursa had reunited with her long-lost love, and that they had had a child together. Iroh insisted that the next time Zuko visited his mother, he would come along as well. He was eager to see Ursa as the happy woman she deserved to be.

           

Finally, long after the sun had gone down, the group broke up to head to bed. They all bid one another goodnight, disappearing into their provided rooms. Soon only Emi and Zuko were left, both of them lingering outside of Emi’s room.

           

“Listen, I really need to apologize to you, Emi,” Zuko said.

           

“About what?” she asked in return, tilting her head.

           

“I shouldn’t have blown up at you about my sister. I know it wasn’t easy for you and our friends to even tolerate her. I just thought, maybe, I could try and change her. Help her.”

           

“It’s okay, Zuko,” Emi said, stepping forward to wrap her arms around him. “You did your best. That’s more than anyone else would have done in your position. More than _I_ would have done…”

           

Zuko chuckled softly. “You have a big heart, Emi. I’m sure if it was your sister who was hellbent on taking over the world you would have tried everything you could to stop her and bring her back to the side of good.”

           

“Yeah, maybe.” Emi sighed, leaning back to look up at her boyfriend. “Too bad I’ll never find that out for myself.”

           

Zuko smiled before leaning down to kiss her. “Don’t worry about it. Ultimately siblings are a pain in the ass. Just look at Katara and Sokka.”

           

“Good point,” Emi grinned. “So how early do we have to get up again?”

           

“Early. It’s going to be a long journey to Ba Sing Se.” Zuko kissed her once more before stepping away and heading to his own room. “Goodnight, Emi.”

           

“Goodnight, Zuko,” she replied, smiling as she went into her room.

           

Emi shuffled around for a bit, getting dressed in her night clothes and putting away her staff and scimitar lovingly. Yuuka was perched atop one of her pillows, watching the young Airbender with interest. Before she climbed into bed, Emi stopped by the altar she had set up for her parents. She knelt before the small structure, gazing at the faded painting thoughtfully.

           

“I wonder if you would have more kids if you had had the chance,” she murmured softly into the still air. “Of course, if you had that would have made me the oldest of the bunch. Which means I’d have to be all responsible like Sokka and Zuko. And where’s the fun in that?”

           

Emi chuckled to herself, looking back at Yuuka. The little sugar glider merely blinked her large eyes, tilting her head at the Airbender.

 

"Still...it might have been nice. I guess." Emi sighed, standing back up and heading over to the bed. After moving Yuuka so that she could lay down, she let out a sigh as the mattress eased the aches of camping on the road the last few nights. Emi turned over, stroking Yuuka’s soft fur before letting sleep take her away.

 

\- - -

 

The next morning the group all woke up early, gathering together fresh supplies and loading them onto Appa’s saddle. After bidding Iroh farewell, Aang urged his sky bison back into the air and they headed a course for the Earth Kingdom.

           

“Hey, you think Toph might have time to join us?” Emi asked aloud as they flew. “Her academy is right in the middle of one of the colonies, after all.”

           

“Worth a shot,” Aang remarked as he joined his friends on the saddle. “Maybe she even knows if the Earth King has come up with an idea on what to do with the colonies.”

           

“I don’t know, Aang,” Sokka mused. “This is a tough decision. A lot of people are depending on us to come up with a good solution that works for both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. Who knows how long it’ll take.”

           

“It doesn’t matter,” the young Avatar said determinedly. “However long it takes, we won’t give up.”

           

“That’s right, Sweetie, we won’t,” Katara smiled, leaning over to kiss Aang on the cheek. Sokka gagged, looking away pointedly.

           

“It’s been over a year, Sokka, you have to get used to it eventually,” Emi remarked with a roll of her eyes.

           

“Oh no I do not,” he shook his head emphatically.

           

“If Suki was here you’d be doing the same thing,” Zuko reasoned, raising his eyebrow. Sokka opened and closed his mouth several times before opting to cross his arms and ignore everyone.

           

After nearly half a day’s flight Appa angled down to land in the yard of the Metalbending Academy. The activity here was a stark contrast to what Emi and her friends had seen only weeks prior. There was a large group of people, all of them practicing Metalbending lengths of chain or sheet of metal, molding and twisting them into strange and unique shapes. And standing in the middle of the crowd was Toph, hands on her hips and barking out instructions like she had been born to do it.

           

“Come on you lily-livers!” she shouted at the top of her lungs. “Attack that metal! Make it bow down to you! No mercy!”

           

“Yep, same ol’ Toph,” Sokka remarked fondly as he and the others dismounted Appa.

           

“Did you really expect anything different?” Zuko smirked, leading the way over to the spunky Earthbender. Upon hearing their footsteps, Toph’s head whipped around in the direction of her friends, a large smile appearing on her face.

           

“Alright everyone, head inside and cool down!” Toph instructed her students. “You all did…well, you did good enough I guess.”

           

They exchanged wary looks with one another but did as their teacher instructed, chatting together and comparing results as they went. Toph quickly ran over to the group, hugging everyone in turn.

           

“I missed you guys!” she said, stepping back. “How did things go with Princess Angry?”

           

“Long story,” Katara remarked with a hasty shrug. “But look at you! You have a proper class now and everything!”

           

“Yeah, it’s alright,” Toph sniffed, but they could all see she was really pleased. “Who knew there were so many Earthbenders who could Metalbend. The Yu Dao police chief has even been by to take lessons.”

           

“That’s so amazing, Toph!” Emi grinned.

           

“So, what brings you guys back this way? Aside from missing me, obviously,” the young Earthbender chuckled.

           

“We’re heading to Ba Sing Se to meet with Earth King Kuei,” Aang explained. “To see if he and that history professor have managed to come up with an idea on what to do with the colonies.”

           

“You haven’t heard anything about that, have you?” Sokka asked.

           

“Nah, not a peep,” Toph shrugged. “You really think he’ll have come up with anything this soon?”

           

“Maybe, maybe not,” Aang allowed. “But we should try and find out anyway. And if he hasn’t, then that’s what we’ll be doing for the next however many weeks or months it takes.”

           

“Or years…” Emi remarked under her breath.

           

“Well, as much fun as that sounds, I’ve got my hands full here,” Toph said. “Good luck to you guys, though.”

           

“We understand, Toph,” Katara smiled. “Congratulations again on your success!”

           

“Thanks, Sugar Queen.”

           

“Um…sure.”

           

“Alrighty then, back on the bison!” Sokka declared, turning on his heel and heading back over to where Appa lay. “It’s a long journey to Ba Sing Se and if we’re lucky we’ll get there before dark.”

           

“Just in time to find a tavern to spend the night,” Emi grumbled with a shake of her head.

           

“Iroh has that teashop, doesn’t he? Just spend the night there,” Toph suggested.

           

“He’s still at the Fire Nation capital covering for me until I can get back,” Zuko explained. “His teashop won’t be open without him there to oversee everything.”

           

“Which means all of Ba Sing Se has been sorely missing his tea recipes,” Emi chuckled.

           

“Come on, let’s go! We’re killing daylight!” Sokka insisted. Emi was mildly surprised to find that he had already mounted Appa’s saddle and was waiting with thinly veiled impatience for them to climb on as well.

           

“It’s so nice how you would sacrifice catching up with an old friend for the good of the nations,” Toph sniped sarcastically. “Really noble, Sokka.”

           

Emi, Katara, and Aang all snickered while Sokka heaved a sigh. “We’ll stop by on the way back, Toph, and we’ll catch up then. But right now, we need to get going.”

           

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. But when you guys do come back through we definitely have to hang out together!”

           

“It’s a deal,” Katara grinned. Toph then hugged all of her friends once again, even Sokka once she managed to convince him to get down from Appa (and by convincing, she actually shook the earth hard enough to cause Sokka to fall from the saddle). They all climbed back into the saddle, calling out their goodbyes as Appa took to the sky.

           

The rest of the day passed by in relative comfort, the group talking idly and sharing a small lunch together. The outer wall of Ba Sing Se soon passed by beneath the sky bison, and shortly after the inner wall. Aang angled Appa down into a relatively clear area of the Upper Ring, he and his friends jumping down and looking around.

           

“You know the drill, buddy,” Aang said to his friend with a sympathetic smile. Appa merely grumbled, taking off back into the sky and disappearing from sight.

           

“So, we have the Avatar and the Fire Lord with us,” Sokka mused, stroking his chin as he looked up and down the darkening streets. “Shouldn’t be too hard to find a place to crash.”

           

“I really don’t think it works that way, Sokka,” Katara rolled her eyes.

           

“What do you mean, that’s how we got that apartment when we first came here!”

           

“We still shouldn’t draw too much attention to ourselves,” Zuko said, leading the way down one street. “We’re just here to meet with the Earth King and check in.”

           

Emi, Katara, and Aang all murmured their agreement while Sokka heaved a sigh, grumbling under his breath. They walked for several minutes, only passing a few people on their way to find a place to sleep for the night. Luckily these individuals did not recognize the group in the darkness, and they were able to continue on their way without any interference.

           

They eventually made it to a respectable looking inn that was just getting ready to close up for the night. The group quickly ran inside, the owner shaking his head with a light chuckle.

           

“Cutting it a little close, aren’t ya?” he remarked, winking genially at them.

           

“We’re sorry, sir. We got into the city a little later than we had hoped,” Katara explained as she and the others followed them man through the man room.

           

“No worries, no worries,” the man said, going behind a long counter against the far wall and rummaging through the cabinets. “I’m more than happy to set up the Avatar and the Fire Lord and their friends for the night.”

           

“Thanks a lot, sir,” Aang smiled.

           

“As it happens, it’s a really good thing you got here when you did,” the man continued, coming back around the counter and handing the group a set of their own room keys.

           

“What do you mean?” Emi asked curiously.

           

“Well, for the past week, there has been some strange goings on around the city. Crime is no stranger to Ba Sing Se, but this thief is much swifter than anyone I have ever seen. Or in this case, not seen.”

           

“Swifter?” Aang piped up, his brow furrowed in confusion.

           

“People have started to call them The Phantom,” the man explained. “The Dai Li haven’t even been able to get a hold of them. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the wind itself had decided to rob people of their coins and jewelry and whatnot. That’s how fast they are. And they always seem to strike during the evening hours, under cover of the darkness.”

           

“That’s impossible!” Sokka immediately scoffed, shaking his head. “No one can be that fast. I mean, not unless they were-” He stopped himself, exchanging unsure glances with the rest of the group.

           

“Unless they were what?” the innkeeper asked.

           

“Uh…nothing. Thanks for letting us stay the night see you in the morning!” Aang said in a rush, giving them man compensation for their rooms as the group hurried upstairs. Once they were in an empty hallway they stopped, staring at one another.

           

“You really think they could be one?” Katara asked in an undertone, mindful of the sleeping people behind the closed doors around them.

           

“No way!” Sokka hissed. “I mean, it was impossible enough for Emi to be one! No offense, Emi.”

           

“But maybe Emi’s great-grandmother wasn’t the only to survive,” Aang added, his eyes lighting up hopefully.

           

“I don’t think so,” Emi mused, causing her friends to look at her in surprise. “I mean, if someone else had survived my great-grandmother would have found them. Or my grandfather, or even my father!”

           

“So how does a thief manage to be so fast that they’ve earned the nickname ‘The Phantom’?” Zuko reasoned.

           

“The innkeeper said they usually attack during the twilight hours, right?” Sokka remarked, thoughtfully stroking his chin. “Maybe they use to shadows to their advantage and make it _seem_ like they’re faster than they really are!”

           

“Is that even possible?” Emi asked.

           

“…Maybe?”

           

“I don’t know, guys. I still think it has to be an Airbender doing this,” Aang said confidently.

           

“But Airbenders are so…good!” Katara remarked. “I can imagine one becoming a thief.”

           

“Katara has a point,” Emi nodded. “Even when my great-grandmother was living on the road she never stooped to becoming a thief. She was always looking for honest work.”

           

“Well, it looks like this little mystery calls for some detective work!” Sokka exclaimed loudly, causing the others to shush him.

           

“It’ll have to wait until after we meet with the Earth King,” Zuko said. “And besides, we haven’t been officially asked to help with anything.”

           

“Since when do we need permission?” Sokka shrugged carelessly.

           

“Your morals have just gone out the window today, haven’t they?” Emi asked dryly.

           

“Hey, wanting to help people who have been getting robbed all week _is_ being moral,” he argued.

           

“Enough,” Zuko cut in before Emi could make a retort. “It’s been a long journey. Let’s just go to our rooms and get some sleep. We can decide what to do after we meet with King Kuei.”

           

They all nodded their agreement, Aang and Katara kissing each other goodnight while Emi and Zuko did the same, Sokka rolling his eyes and making gagging noises at both pairs as he disappeared into his room. The rest of the group followed suit, Emi all but collapsing onto the thin mattress of her room. Yuuka glided over to the window sill, scratching at the pane of glass plaintively.

           

“Yuuka, it’s too late to go exploring,” Emi yawned, craning her head around to peer over at her sugar glider. “You can go out tomorrow when we visit the palace.”

           

Yuuka squeaked, running back and forth along the windowsill. Emi ignored her little friend, rolling onto her side and closing her eyes to go to sleep.

           

Meanwhile, down in the dark street below, Yuuka watched as a blur of motion raced between the buildings, there one second and gone the next as if it had never existed to begin with.


	16. Chasing the Wind

Chasing the Wind

 

The next morning Emi awoke slowly, the remnants of her dream trying in vain to cling to her conscious mind. She let out a sigh, wanting to burrow back into her blankets and sleep some more. Instead, she was jostled by an exuberant sugar glider who kept chattering to her incessantly. At the same time, someone knocked on her door before letting themselves in.

           

“Come on, Emi, it’s time to get up,” Zuko said, stopping by her bed and looking down at her.

           

“Ugh…don’t wanna…” Emi grumbled. “Took too long to fall asleep thanks to _her_.” She pointed lazily toward Yuuka, the sugar glider still darting around and chittering nonstop.

           

She heard Zuko heave a sigh before the bed dipped beneath his weight as he kneeled next to her. “If your little pet was so worked up why not just let her out?”

           

“I couldn’t do that!” Emi gasped in horror, sitting up quickly. “The poor thing would get lost!”

           

“She lived in a huge forest long before you ever claimed her,” Zuko reasoned, raising his eyebrow.

           

“Well…okay but...still.”

           

Zuko shook his head, giving Emi a kiss on the forehead before getting back up. “Come on. Let’s go downstairs and eat breakfast. You can sleep tonight when we get home.”

           

“You really think we’ll be home by the end of today?” Emi asked, getting up despite her desire to sleep a few more hours. “What if we can’t decide what to do about the colonies?”

           

“It’s going to take a while anyway, Emi,” Zuko said, leading the way out of her room. “And I can’t leave my uncle in charge for too long. It wouldn’t be right.”

           

“Fair enough,” she nodded, Yuuka diving onto her shoulder as she followed her boyfriend out into the hall and down the stairs where their friends were already waiting. Sokka was digging in to the breakfast spread enthusiastically while Aang and Katara were deep in conversation with one another, barely touching their food. They all looked up as Emi and Zuko approached.

           

“Good! You’re finally awake,” Katara observed with a smile as Emi sat down.

           

“Yeah…long night,” the young Airbender sighed, her sugar glider jumping down and running across the table to take a flying leap at Momo. “Hyperactive pet. Wouldn’t settle down.”

           

“‘At’s ‘urprisin’,” Sokka mumbled around the gratuitous amount of food he had in his mouth.

           

“Um…what was that?” Emi asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend.

           

“Sokka, would you at least chew your food before speaking?” his sister scolded. Sokka shot her glare but swallowed his mouthful all the same.

           

“I said that’s surprising,” he repeated. “I heard Momo acting up, too.”

           

“Really? I didn’t hear a thing,” Aang remarked.

           

“So Momo and Yuuka were both restless last night?” Katara mused. “That’s odd. They’re both really well-behaved in cities like this. I don’t understand why they would suddenly act up.”

           

“They’re animals. Animals act up all the time,” Zuko said. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”

           

Aang and Sokka nodded their agreement, continuing on with their eating. Emi hesitated a moment before she, too, delved into her breakfast. Only Katara seemed to abandon her meal, watching the two critters thoughtfully.

           

Once they had all had their fill they got up to return their room keys to the innkeeper. He bid them all a good day, smiling as they left the inn and stepped out onto the sunny street outside. Aang got out his bison whistle and blew into it while Katara was looking up and down the road with a furrowed expression.

           

“Aang, it’s not that far. We can just walk there,” Sokka said with a raised eyebrow.

           

“I have some apples I want to share with Appa!” Aang explained, holding up a makeshift bag filled with the fruit. Momo leaped onto Aang’s shoulders, sniffing the bag curiously. Yuuka followed shortly after, knocking the flying lemur off. They proceeded to dash all around the street, chittering to one another and stopping to sniff various areas.

           

“Well if Appa is going to be giving us a ride, we should head back to where he dropped us off last night,” Emi said. “There’s not enough room on this street for a sky bison to land.”

           

With a murmur of agreement amongst the group they all headed back to the clearing they had been in the previous night, Momo and Yuuka running back and forth in front of them. Just as they reached their destination Appa let out a low bellow, swirling around in the sky before touching down onto the ground gracefully.

           

“Good morning, buddy!” Aang greeted his old friend, holding up the bag of apples for him to sniff. Appa did so, nudging Aang affectionately once he caught the delectable scent of the fruit. As the bison ate the apples, Katara was carefully watching their other two pets, who were still bouncing all over the place, their energy semingly bottomless. Suddenly they came to a stop, sniffing at the ground near one tall building curiously.

           

“Has anyone else noticed that Momo and Yuuka have been unusually active this morning?” Katara asked the others.

           

“Maybe they’re just bored,” her brother shrugged.

           

Momo and Yuuka continued to investigate for a moment longer until the flying lemur darted back over to the group, winding his way up around Aang before settling onto his shoulders and chattering loudly.

           

“Emi, go grab Yuuka, we have to get going,” Zuko said as he ushered the rest of their friends onto the sky bison.

           

Emi nodded, trotting over to where the sugar glider was still stubbornly focused on the patch of ground she and Momo had been sniffing. She plucked Yuuka up before the critter could even entertain the idea of bolting, running back over to the sky bison and climbing up. As Aang snapped the reins to urge Appa into the sky Emi let Yuuka go, the little animal shooting her a dirty look before jumping over to where Momo was sitting, also looking grumpy.

           

A short ten minutes later had the group landing on the palace grounds before the grand staircase. As they all dismounted a small band of guards came running forward to greet them.

           

“Good morning Avatar, Fire Lord, and friends,” one of them said, bowing deeply along with his comrades. “We regret to inform you that the Earth King is currently away from the palace.”

           

“Monkey feathers!” Aang swore, clapping a hand to his face.

           

“Could you tell us where we might find him?” Sokka asked the guards.

           

“Unfortunately, he is out of the city,” another explained. “He should return in a few short days.”

           

“Well, thanks anyway,” Zuko remarked, waving as the guards dispersed. “I guess that’s that, then.”

           

“Yeah,” Emi sighed. “Maybe if King Kuei has had some breakthrough with the colonies he’ll contact us with the details.”

           

“We came all this way, though, how about we just hang around for another day?” Aang suggested. “We haven’t had much downtime since this whole Harmony Restoration Movement began.”

           

“If you guys want to hang around for another day you can, but I need get back to the Fire Nation,” Zuko said. “I have to take up my duties as Fire Lord again.”

           

“Are you sure, Zuko?” Emi asked. “It’s only one more day.”

           

“I shouldn’t keep my uncle from his teashop any longer,” he replied. “It’s not fair to him.”

           

“We understand,” Katara smiled.

           

“You can take Appa and fly back to the capital,” Aang suggested, patting his furry friend. “It’ll be a lot faster, and when you get to the palace your uncle can fly him back to Ba Sing Se!”

           

“Really?” Zuko asked in surprise. “Thanks, Aang. I appreciate it.”

           

The group helped to unload the sky bison, save for Zuko’s belongings. The young Fire Lord then hugged his friends and kissed his girlfriend goodbye before mounting the saddle, waving as he urged Appa up into the air. Within seconds they were a distant speck against the horizon. Sokka heaved a sigh, turning to the remaining trio.

           

“So, what do you guys feel like doing?” he asked as they left the palace grounds.

           

Aang tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Well, we could always check up with-”

           

“We are _not_ going back to that Avatar Aang fan club,” Katara said sternly.

           

“I was just wondering how they were doing with the whole Air Acolyte transition!”

           

Emi and Sokka chuckled. “As fun as that sounds, there must be something we didn’t get around to doing the last time we were here,” Sokka remarked.

           

“Let’s see, the first time I was in Ba Sing Se I was stuck in the Lower Ring pretty much the entire time,” Emi recounted. “And then the second time I got to eat a feast at the palace. So, we should find something between those extremes.”

           

“I got it!” Sokka suddenly exclaimed, starling the others. “How about we all go…visit the Ba Sing Se university!”

           

“Uh, no,” Katara frowned.

           

“That sounds boring,” Aang grimaced

           

“What is wrong with you?” Emi demanded.

           

“Oh, come on!” Sokka groaned. “What better place to spend the day than somewhere we can learn something new?”

           

“Didn’t we get enough learning experience when the university professor was lecturing us?” Emi scoffed. “I can’t imagine any other professor would be even slightly more interesting.”

           

“And besides, we _did_ go to the university when we were all here last time, remember?” Katara prompted.

           

“But we didn’t get a chance to sit in on any lessons or anything!” her brother argued.

           

“Whoa! Is that…the Avatar?!”

           

The group all looked around at the sound of the excited voice, noticing a trio of kids who only seemed a few years younger than themselves. The girl who had spoken ran up to them, staring at Aang with the same reverence that Emi had seen on his fan club’s faces. She looked sidelong at Katara, biting her lip to keep from chuckling at the exasperated look on her friend’s face.

           

“You are! You are the Avatar!” the girl squealed, turning back to her friends. “I told you guys!”

           

“Uh, well-” Aang began to say sheepishly before the girl overrode him.

           

“And you must be Lady Airbender Emi!” she gushed, turning her wide eyes to the young Airbender. “And you’re Master Katara! And you’re the Water Tribe warrior Sokka!”

           

At her words, her friends finally ran forward, all of them talking a mile a minute, asking all sorts of questions and wanting the group to display their talents for them to see.

           

“Listen, we really do appreciate this and all, but we should get going,” Katara said as gently as she could.

           

“Aww…”

           

“ _Nooo_ , please don’t go!”

           

“Show us the air scooter trick!”

           

Emi looked around the street, noting that more and more people were stopping to watch this little exchange with interest. She nudged Aang. “Maybe one little demonstration wouldn’t hurt. It’s something to do, anyway, right?”

           

“I don’t know Emi,” Katara said in an undertone, watching as the kids now fawned over Sokka and his assortment of weapons. “There’s a lot of people around us; someone could get hurt accidentally.”

           

“We’ll be careful, Sweetie,” Aang smiled, kissing Katara on the cheek. “Besides, Airbenders are great at working in small spaces!”

           

“We are?” Emi asked with a raised eyebrow.

           

“Of course! If we can’t move around, we go up!” At that Aang spun his arms around, flying into the air and landing gracefully upon a nearby roof. The kids all clapped their hands excitedly, the rest of the crowd murmuring their appreciation. He then swung his arms around, creating his famous air scooter and proceeded to zoom all along the rooftops surrounding the street below.

           

Emi grinned mischievously, spinning her own arms around to fly into the sky and land on the opposite side of where her friend was. Aang released his air scooter, turning to face her with an equally mischievous look on his face.

           

Both Airbenders took a flying leap, soaring through the air and using their combined wind to bounce off of one another. They twisted around, whipping up a swirling sphere of wind that supported them both. Using their bending, Emi and Aang floated above the crowd’s heads, the trio of kids cheering and clapping in delight. They swiftly broke apart, flipping in the air and landing gracefully back upon the ground.

           

“Hey, Sokka, toss your boomerang!” Aang called out to him. Sokka and Katara looked at one another before the Water Tribe warrior shrugged, removing his boomerang and throwing it out toward the Airbenders. Aang whipped his hands around, easily catching the weapon and letting the wind carry it in various twists and turns before passing it off to Emi. She grabbed the boomerang, letting it fly back into the sky on a burst of wind. Before either Airbender could catch it a strand of water soaring between them, the end freezing once it wrapped around the metal weapon. Katara bent the water back, catching the boomerang with a smug grin on her face. A moment later Sokka snatched his weapon back from his sister's hand, rolling his eyes.

           

“Alright you benders, let me show you how a real warrior throws this bad boy,” he declared, swinging his arm around in a showy fashion. He reeled back, ready to release his boomerang when a shout rose up from within the crowd.

           

“ _Hey_! Get back here! Help! Thief!”

           

The four of them looked around, trying to see through the mass of bodies as they also peered around in confusion. The victim in question pushed through the crowd, her eyes wide and pleading.

           

“Please, Avatar, you must go after them! My mother’s heirloom necklace has been stolen!” the young woman cried.

           

“In broad daylight?” Sokka asked aloud in disbelief.

           

“Come on, guys!” Aang urged his friends, leaping up over the heads of the crowd easily and landing on the other side, Momo flying after him. With a brief glance to one another Emi, Katara, and Sokka all pushed through the crowd, following Aang as he ran down the street.

           

“Where’s the Dai Li when you actually need them?” Sokka grumbled, the group skidding to a halt at an intersection.

           

“Probably chasing their own tails; where did this guy go?” Emi asked in return, looking up and down each street. “How can anyone be that fast?!”

           

Suddenly Momo let out an ear-piercing series of yowls, leaping from Aang’s should and flying off down the street to their right. Yuuka wiggled her way out of Emi’s waist scarf, gliding along after the flying lemur.

           

“Wait, Momo! We have a thief to catch!” Aang called after his pet.

           

“No, Aang, I think that’s exactly where they’re going!” Katara said, taking off after the critters. “Come on!”

           

They all followed after the Waterbender, running as they attempted to keep up with the swiftly flying animals. They took numerous twists and turns, venturing farther and farther away from the crowded buildings and toward the wall that separated the Upper Ring from the Middle Ring. Momo and Yuuka turned another sharp right turn, disappearing into a dingy little shack that was tucked out of sight from the main street between two larger buildings.

           

“Hey! Give that back!”

           

Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Emi all skidded to a halt as Momo and Yuuka flew back out, the flying lemur clutching the stolen necklace in his paws. He dropped the item in Aang’s hands before settling onto his shoulders, hissing lightly as the thief rushed out of the shack.

           

He couldn’t have been more than seven years old.

           

He stopped upon seeing the group there. They all stared at one another for several long moments before the boy bolted, pushing past the startled teens and taking off down the street.

           

“Wait, hold on!” Aang called after the boy, running after him with his friends hot on his heels. They boy glanced behind himself briefly, scowling as he saw the group chasing him. He suddenly skidded to a halt, and for a moment they all thought he was giving up. Instead, he swung his arms around and flew into the air on a burst of wind, landing on the rooftop of a nearby building and running farther away.

           

Shaking off their shock faster than Katara and Sokka, Aang and Emi wasted no time into doing the same, leaping into the air and chasing the strange boy as he jumped from roof to roof. The two Airbenders looked at one another, sharing a determined nod before Aang pulled ahead. His eyes and tattoos flashed white as he leaped into the air on a powerful blast of wind, rocketing over the boy’s head and landing nimbly in front of him. The young thief skidded to a halt, twisting around to get away from Aang only to be stopped by Emi as she swept a slice of wind beneath his feet, using her bending to lift him up and hold him aloft in a swirling mass of air.

           

“Let me go!” the boy demanded, trying to wiggle his way out of Emi’s hold, but her wind was too strong. Aang approached them, his eyes and tattoos back to normal.

           

“You’re an Airbender?!” he asked in amazement.

           

“Yeah, big deal. Who cares,” the boy scoffed, still squirming around relentlessly.

           

“‘Who cares’?” Emi repeated, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. “Are you kidding me?! That’s amazing! Aang and I thought we were the last ones-”

           

“Who cares!” the boy repeated, his face scrunching up in annoyance. “Airbending is stupid! All it’s good for is taking stuff without getting caught!” He then huffed, glaring at them petulantly. “At least it used to be…”

           

Emi and Aang looked at one another, their concerns rising for this little boy. She heaved a sigh and slowly released her bending, allowing the young thief to stand on his own two feet again. He looked from one Airbender to the other, his azure gaze calculating until he seemed to come with terms with the fact that he was well and truly caught.

           

“You know we have to take you back home, right?” Aang asked the boy.

           

He scoffed and crossed his arms. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”

           

“Well, hey, you know we haven’t even introduced ourselves!” Emi piped up, trying to soothe over the tension. “I’m Emi, and that’s my friend, Aang.” When the boy merely stared at her she cleared her throat. “…And you are?”

           

“...Temir,” he grumbled.

           

“It's nice to meet you-”

           

Before Emi could finish her sentence, Temir turned and jumped down from the roof, stumbling a little on the ground below where Sokka and Katara were waiting for them. Emi shook her head, looking over at Aang.

           

“I guess we found something to do for the day,” she remarked with a tight chuckle.

           

“Yeah. Hopefully we can get to bottom of this and figure out where he came from,” Aang said, pausing before he, too, jumped down from the roof. “…And if there’s any other Airbenders in his family.”

           

Emi nodded, her gaze locked on the strange boy below. Years ago, the prospect would have seemed like an impossibility, to both of them. But now that a third Airbender had been revealed, the pair were readying themselves for anything to happen.


	17. The Worst Airbender in the World

The Worst Airbender in the World

 

Once Emi and Aang rejoined their friends on the ground, Sokka immediately started in on them.

           

“Okay, so wait, this _kid_ is the so-called ‘Phantom’?” he demanded. “Seriously?!”

           

“Cool, I have a nickname?” Temir smirked.

           

“No, it is _not_ cool!” Emi snapped. “And how did you come to that conclusion, Sokka?”

           

“Please, this kid almost managed to outrun you guys, and you’re the fastest Airbenders around!” Sokka rolled his eyes as if that was the most obvious answer in the world.

           

“Up until ten minutes ago they were the _only_ Airbenders around,” Katara mused, looking at the boy. “You know, stealing is very wrong.”

           

“Nooo, really?” Temir scoffed.

           

“Well, there’s no need to be so sarcastic…” the young Waterbender grumbled, crossing her arms with a huff.

           

“Alright, kid, first things first; you’re gonna return everything you’ve stolen from the people of Ba Sing Se,” Sokka declared, taking on a dad-like tone. “Then, we’re taking you home. Where do you live?”

           

Temir stared at Sokka for a long moment. “Yeah, like I’m gonna tell you,” he smirked.

           

“Come on, don’t you want to go back home?” Katara asked kindly. “I’m sure your parents are very worried about you.”

           

“Shows what you know,” Temir huffed, turning his back on the older girl.

           

Katara puffed up indignantly, looking ready to start lecturing the boy when Aang gestured to the siblings, bringing them and Emi a short distance away from Temir.

           

“Look, maybe we should take it easy on him,” Aang said. “We don’t know why he’s here. Maybe something happened with his parents and he’s on his own now.”

           

“Well…maybe,” Sokka allowed, thougha moment later he shook his head. “But it’s not like he’s going to tell us anything. The kid doesn’t want our help!”

           

“We should still try,” Katara insisted. “We can’t just leave him in the hands of the Dai Li! Long Feng may be locked away but I still don’t trust them…”

           

“Okay, fine, we could grill him about where his family is and why he’s been stealing,” Sokka began, “but how are we going to tell if he’s lying or not?”

           

At that, Emi let out a loud gasp, startling her friends. “That’s it, Sokka!” she exclaimed.

           

“What? What did I say?!”

           

“Oh, come on, who’s the one person we know who can tell whenever someone is lying?” Emi prodded.

           

Aang gasped in realization. “Toph!”

           

“Exactly! We should just bring Temir to Toph, then _she_ can tell us whenever he’s lying! Then it’ll just be matter of a few questions until we can find out why he left home and, hopefully, be able to bring him back!”

           

“Wait a minute!” Katara piped up. “How are we going to get back to Yu Dao without Appa? It’ll probably be another day before Iroh flies him back.”

           

“We’ll just have to stay here, then,” Aang shrugged. “It’s for the best; Temir is going to need some help with the Dai Li, and we’re going to have to make sure he returns everything he took.”

           

“And then, we can start training him to be a proper Airbender!” Emi said excitedly.

           

“Something tells me that’s not going to be so easy,” Sokka muttered to his sister, looking back to where they had left the boy. Temir was currently crouched down on the ground, playing with Momo and Yuuka. He had a smile on his dirt stained face; the first that they had seen. It made him seem more like the little boy he was supposed to be, and not a street thief.

           

“We have to try,” Aang said determinedly. “We owe it to the Airbenders of the past.”

           

“Hey, are guys done yet?” Temir suddenly asked, straightening up with a scowl now adorning his face. “Can’t you take me to the Dai Li and get it over with?”

           

“Oh, you’re going to the Dai Li alright,” Sokka grinned, striding over to the boy. “But we’re not turning you in. You’re going to return everything you took _and_ you’re going to apologize for stealing.”

           

“And after that you’re going to learn what it means to be a true Airbender!” Emi added with her own grin.

           

“…I think I’d rather deal with the Dai Li,” Temir remarked with a grimace.

 

\- - -

 

Once the gang had managed to convince Temir to gather all of his stolen trophies (they had had to return to the little shack three times because the boy had tried to leave behind a few of his ill-gotten gains), they escorted the young Airbender back through the streets until they reached the Dai Li headquarters. The outside was stark and imposing, and the inside was no better with its sparse décor. As soon as the five of them crossed the threshold they were greeted by a trio of the royal officers, the men looking down their noses at the youngsters.

           

“Greetings, Avatar,” the one in the center bowed respectfully, his companions doing the same on either side. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

           

“We captured The Phantom!” Sokka declared, clapping a hand on Temir’s shoulder. The boy recoiled, glaring up at the young Water Tribe warrior.

           

“I beg your pardon?” the Dai Li agent raised an eyebrow, his gaze on the young Airbender in front of him. “You expect us to believe that this… _boy_ is the thief that has been evading us?”

           

“Yeah, I am!” Temir sneered. Katara quickly pulled the boy away from the Dai Li agents, the men’s scowls dark and menacing.

           

“Yes, but we have put an end to his thieving and we even managed to bring back everything he stole!” Katara said with a bright smile, gesturing to the bag Temir had clutched in his hands. “So, I’m sure we can all just put this behind us and-”

           

“That is not how this works,” the man overrode her. “He is a thief and he must be punished accordingly.”

           

“But he’s just a kid!” Emi argued. “He’s sorry for what he’s done and he’s giving back the stuff he took!”

           

“Are you _really_ sorry?” the Dai Li agent on the right asked Temir, raising an eyebrow at the young Airbender.

           

Temir opened his mouth to reply, but with that glint in his eyes that signaled a smart-ass remark Katara and Sokka were quick to clap their hands over his mouth, stifling the retort that was poised on the tip of his tongue.

           

“Look, isn’t there anything else we can do to make this okay?” Aang asked the Dai Li agents pleadingly.

           

The three men looked at one another before returning their hard gazes at the group before them. “Yes,” the agent in the center said, crossing his arms. “You take this riffraff out of the city.”

           

“What?!” Emi gaped in disbelief. “But, what if his family is here-?”

           

“I don’t live here,” Temir interrupted with a huff. “I hate this city anyway, it’s stupid.”

           

“Then I guess that’s settled.” The agents relieved the gang of the stolen items, taking them away into a different area of their headquarters. The leader came back after a moment with five train tickets, handing them out to each of them. “Kindly escort the boy out of Ba Sing Se and we’ll consider the matter closed.”

           

Aang and the others all looked at one another, but the Dai Li agent merely turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving them no choice but to shuffle out of the building in defeat. Once outside, Sokka rounded on Temir.

           

“Alright, kid, this is what’s going to happen,” he began with a stern expression, “as soon as we’re out of the city you’re going to tell us why you left home and where your parents are.”

           

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Temir crossed his arms.

           

“If you help us out, we’ll gladly train you in the ways of the Airbender!” Aang bargained, grinning widely at the offer.

           

“No.” The boy looked away from the disappointed look on Aang’s face and the outraged one on Sokka’s. He sniffed the air, and at that moment his stomach growled loudly. “Can we get something to eat?” he asked, rubbing his stomach plaintively.

           

“Of course,” Katara smiled kindly, looking around at the buildings that surrounded the street where they stood. “I’m sure we have time for lunch before we head out.”

           

“Do you think Appa will be able to find us once we leave Ba Sing Se?” Emi asked aloud as the young Waterbender led the way down the street. “We don’t have a way to contact Iroh and tell him that we’ve been kicked out!”

           

“Well, _we_ haven’t been kicked out,” Sokka remarked with a sidelong glance down at Temir. The boy wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue at him. “But still, it would be nice to be able to send a message to him. If only _someone_ hadn’t used my bird to write a letter to Gran Gran!” At this he leveled his sister with a glare, but Katara was unfazed.

           

“Sokka, if that hawk was really as loyal as you like to think he is then he would have come back a long time ago!” she snapped.

           

“She does have a point,” Emi remarked as Yuuka wound around her shoulders, chittering away at Momo who was perched on Aang’s shoulders.

           

Sokka huffed indignantly and fell silent. The group made their way through the winding streets of the Upper Ring, passing many of the locals along the way. Temir eyed them closely, his fingers twitching with the urge to swipe their fine jewelry and other possessions. Aang steered him away from the would-be victims, smiling widely at as a few of the people looked around curiously at the group.

           

They soon arrived at a well-kept restaurant, the customers flocking both the inside of the establishment as well as the outside. The gang made their way carefully through the crowd until they were at the front counter, where one of the cooks raised an eyebrow at them.

           

“What can I get for you, kids?” he asked.

           

“Could we get two meat platters and three vegetarian dishes, please?” Sokka requested. Temir made a noise of disgust.

           

“Ew, which one of you guys is a vegetarian?” he asked, staring up at them. They, in turn, stared at him.

           

“Um…Aang and Emi are,” Katara said, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Because they’re Airbenders. You…you do know Airbenders don’t eat meat, right?”

           

“What?!” Temir recoiled in horror. “Why would anyone do that?!”

           

“Because Airbenders believe in the sanctity of life!” Emi flared up indignantly.

           

“So? Meat is delicious, I’m _not_ giving that up!” Temir declared.

           

“So…is that going to be three meat dishes and two vegetarian meals?” the cook asked uncertainly.

           

“Yes!” the boy said.

           

“No!” both Emi and Aang shouted at the same time.

           

“Why don’t I just leave you kids to decide, and I’ll come back later,” the man suggested, quickly moving away from the group to attend to another pair of customers.

           

“Look, Temir, being an Airbender requires a certain…discipline!” Aang began to explain. “When I was growing up with the monks I would spend all day meditating and doing chores and learning about all the different practices that the Air Nomads had.”

           

“That sounds stupid,” Temir deadpanned.

           

“How can you say that?!” Emi demanded angrily. “This is a part of who you are! You can’t just ignore it-”

           

“Look, if we’re not going to eat anything here can we just get out of this stupid city?” Temir interrupted, crossing his arms petulantly.

           

“Emi, Aang, let the kid have what he wants,” Sokka said.

           

“But-”

           

“He can’t-”

           

“Aang, you grew up with the Air Nomads. Emi, you were raised by an herbalist. Temir has clearly had a much different upbringing than either of you,” he explained patiently. “This is going to take time for everyone to adjust.” When the pair still looked mutinous, he added, “Remember, he’s just a kid.”

           

Emi and Aang looked at one another, deflating at that statement. Temir smirked, sensing that victory was in his favor. Without waiting for another argument to erupt, Katara waved the cook back over and they ordered their food to go. A few minutes later, the gang walked out of the restaurant, Temir greedily digging into his meal with relish while Emi and Aang looked on with slightly nauseated expressions. They hung back a few paces as the boy and their friends led the way, heading toward the train station.

           

“Sokka is right, you know,” Aang sighed. “Temir probably grew up with other meat-eaters. He wouldn’t know anything about being a vegetarian.”

           

“Seems like he doesn’t know _anything_ about being an Airbender,” Emi mused darkly, picking at her food. “How does that even happen? How can a bender hate the element they control?!”

           

“I’m sure there’s a reason,” Aang remarked thoughtfully, feeding Momo a few scraps of his meal. “We just have to get to Toph, then she can help us get some straight answers from him.”

           

“Well, I do know this much; he may be an Airbender, but he’s clearly the only one in his immediate family,” Emi said. “All he knows is how to run fast. He doesn’t know anything about making air balls, or flying into the air, or using air funnels, or anything like that!”

           

“We just have to be patient,” her friend nodded to himself. “Maybe if he has two masters to emulate, he’ll start warming up to the idea of being an Airbender.”

           

“You really think so?” Emi asked, raising an eyebrow.

           

“…Maybe?” Aang shrugged with a sheepish smile.

           

“Hey, slowpokes! Come on, the train’s about to leave!” Sokka’s voice snapped them out of their hushed conversation, making the young Airbenders run quickly to catch up to Temir and their friends as they waited on the platform. They quickly flashed their tickets to the man at the stall before rushing inside the train just as the doors closed and the vehicle shuddered, the Earthbenders pushing strongly along the tracks. Before long, the scenery around them blurred as they moved swiftly, leaving behind the Upper Ring and making their way to the walls of Ba Sing Se.

           

The ride was spent in silence. Temir stared out one of the windows, his expression dark and brooding. The gang all looked at one another, unsure of what to say to make the boy feel better. Unfortunately, none of them knew the exact reasons for his grim mood. And it was clear the boy was not going to elaborate any time soon.

           

Several long minutes later, the train came to a halt at the station outside of Ba Sing Se. Emi felt a small sense of nostalgia as she and her friends stepped off the vehicle and made their way outside along with the crowds. Most of the passengers flocked to the ferry waystation to enjoy a nice ride across the bay. The gang, however, went in the opposite direction and out toward the dusty landscape that made up the central Earth Kingdom.

           

“Why can’t we go on the ferry?” Temir whined. “I want to go on the ferry!”

           

“Just be patient, Temir. Tomorrow, we’re going to be taking the best ride in the whole world!” Aang grinned.

           

Temir peered up at the young Avatar suspiciously. “What ride is that?”

           

“A sky bison,” Emi piped up with her own grin.

           

“A what?”

           

“A sky bison.  They're only _the_ best way for an Airbender to get around,” Aang explained with pride. “Aside from our air gliders, anyway.” At this he twirled his staff around, unfurling the blue wings for Temir to see. Emi did the same with her staff, and the boy looked from one Airbender to the other with something akin to awe in his eyes.

           

“Whoa…where can I get one of those?” Temir asked excitedly. Emi and Aang looked at one another, smiling at the boy’s peaked interest.

           

“An old friend made these for us,” Aang said, twirling his staff once more and snapping the wings back into their compartments. “But we could you one, too, once you get some training in!”

           

At that Temir’s excitement dissipated, his scowl returning. “Pfft, no thanks,” he grumbled. He then quickly moved ahead of the group, kicking at the dusty ground as he went. The four of them looked at one another, their eyebrows raised.

           

“Alright,” Sokka sighed, shaking his head. “If no one else is going to say it then I will; worst Airbender ever!”


	18. Better to be Kind or Better to be Harsh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sweet sassy molassy, a chapter update! About damn time, I know. Your patience has been greatly appreciated, though, let me assure you.

Better to be Kind or Better to be Harsh

 

Several hours passed as the gang wandered along the open terrain outside of the capital, the only marring features along the otherwise flat horizon being clusters of boulders and stone slabs placed haphazardly at various intervals. As evening began to fall and the first stars appeared in the sky the group eventually stopped for the night beneath a rocky shelf that jutted up from the ground. They all unshouldered their belongings gratefully, stretching out the kinks in their muscles before setting out to make their beds. As they worked, the youngest Airbender was crouched several paces away, watching the proceedings with a sour expression.

Emi finished setting up her bed first, brushing her hands together to rid them of the dust that had been disturbed as she made her temporary sleeping area more comfortable. She looked toward the little boy at that moment, frowning in thought before tentatively approaching him.

“If you need some blankets to make your bed, I have extra that you can use,” she offered.

Temir huffed. “I don’t need your help,” he snapped, though his usual heat was greatly reduced. He yawned widely at that moment, revealing the true depth of his exhaustion.

“Come on, Temir, if we all work together it’ll be done in no time!” Aang chimed in cheerfully, gathering together the spare blankets the group always carried. He and the others chipped in, quickly setting up a cozy looking sleeping area right in the middle of them all. Temir stared at the makeshift bed before casting his azure gaze toward the teens. Without another word he shuffled over to the blankets, burrowing beneath the covers deeply enough so that only the wild tufts of his black hair were visible.

The group exchanged wary looks before silently agreeing that sleep was the best thing for everyone at that moment. They all got into their respective bedrolls, Momo and Yuuka opting to settle down on top of Temir’s bed, seeming eager to give him comfort regardless of whether or not he wanted any. One by one they fell asleep, each of them wondering what they were going to do about the strange Airbender that had fallen into their laps.

 

\- - -

 

Morning dawned, shedding its bright light upon the sleeping friends. Sokka groaned, shifting his blankets more fully over his head in an attempt to block out the light. Emi, Aang, and Katara, on the other hand, all stretched languidly and sat up in their own bedrolls, welcoming the new day. Katara frowned at her brother’s hidden formed in disapproval while the young Airbenders chuckled, amused by Sokka’s quiet grumbling.

Then, as Emi turned to check on Temir, she let out a loud gasp.

“Oh no!” she exclaimed, leaping to her feet. “Temir’s gone!”

Katara and Aang snapped their heads around, Sokka ripping his blankets away from his head to get a better look. He groaned in irritation and got to his feet, too, followed by his sister and the young Avatar. “I can’t believe this! No one heard him leave?!”

“No,” Katara shook her head. “And apparently neither did Momo and Yuuka.”

She was right, for amid the rumpled bedding was the flying lemur and the sugar glider, both animals still fast asleep and oblivious to the group’s predicament.

“Alright, guys, let’s split up and search the area,” Aang declared, squaring his shoulder determinedly. “He can’t have gotten too far.”

“He’s an Airbender!” Sokka exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. “He may be a terrible one, but he _is_ fast! And who knows how long he’s been gone!”

“We’ve still got to try!” Emi snapped, grabbing her staff and flicking open the wings of her glider while Aang did the same. “You and Katara search the area around our campsite while Aang and I fly out and do an aerial search.”

The Water Tribe siblings nodded, immediately beginning to scour the ground while Emi and Aang took to the air, the land beneath them unfolding for miles all around.

“I’ll search the south and the west,” Aang called out to Emi as he turned his glider away. “You take the north and the east!”

“Wait! What should we do if we find him?”

“What do you mean?” Aang asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“What I mean is he clearly doesn’t want our help,” Emi began, her fingers tightening around the handles of her glider. “I don’t think he’ll come with either of us willingly if we just ask him to!”

“He’s been banished from Ba Sing Se,” Aang remarked with a hard look. “There’s no other Earth Kingdom city for several miles; he needs us. And he knows it. Now let’s find him and get him back to the campsite! Appa and Iroh are supposed to be coming back today, and they don’t know we’ve been kicked out of the city!”

“Good point,” Emi muttered as Aang swung his glider around once more and headed south. She headed the opposite way, her eyes glued to the ground below, searching for any telltale sign of the wayward boy.

The sun crept higher into the sky, its light bouncing off the dusty earth. Emi squinted through the rays, her head continually swiveling left and right. But try as she might, the young Airbender could see no sign of Temir.

“Where did you go…?” she murmured aloud to herself, swinging her glider around to fly in a more easterly direction. “ _Why_ did you leave?” Emi then heaved a sigh, shaking her head. _How can an Airbender be so bitter?_ she continued to wonder silently.

Several tense minutes passed by. Then, suddenly, Emi spotted a commotion to her right. She adjusted her angle to better see what was going on, her eyes widening at the events that were taking place below. There were four Sandbenders, a rare sight to be sure this far from the Si Wong Desert. But that wasn’t the only reason why Emi paused in her flight. The Sandbenders appeared to be confronting a smaller figure, their postures stiff with anger while the figure they loomed over appeared to be getting ready to attack. Emi swallowed past the lump in her throat nervously; she had a sinking feeling she knew who that small figure was.

With a steadying breath, the young master angled her glider down, swiftly flying toward the ground. Several feet above the confrontation Emi snapped the wings back into their compartment, twirling her staff around and bending the air to soften her landing. She straightened up, putting herself between the Sandbenders and a very angry Temir.

“Uh…g-good morning!” Emi managed to say, smiling a little hesitantly against the fierce faces of the Sandbenders before her. “What seems to be the problem?”

Before the men could answer her, Temir began to shout from behind her. “They’re a bunch of murderers, that’s what!”

“What?!” Emi whirled around to stare at the younger Airbender in disbelief.

“The boy is clearly addled in the head!” the man at the forefront of the group snapped, recapturing Emi’s attention. “We were minding our own business, making a journey back home when this wild child started attacking us!”

“They’re liars!” Temir continued to yell, trying to get at the Sandbenders while Emi in turn tried to hold him back. “They’re murderers and liars!”

“Temir, calm down!” Emi tried to placate the boy, but he ignored her completely. She shifted her attention back to the Sandbenders. “Listen, he’s been separated from his family. He’s not in his right mind at the moment-”

“Be that as it may he has no basis for his accusations!” the Sandbender overrode her. “We have never seen this child before and we certainly do not abide by the actions that he claims we revel in!”

Emi bit her lip, looking from the men to Temir, trying to comprehend why he was having such a violent reaction to the benders. “Well…perhaps there have been others who…um…”

“If you mean to suggest that the boy has us confused with some other Sandbenders, Lady Airbender, we can assure you that none of us honorable tribes have ever slipped so low as to take another life,” the man said with a hard glare. “I cannot say the same for any dishonorable Sandbender, but we do not make it a habit to interact with such individuals.”

“Yes, I understand,” she quickly assured them. She did not know much about Sandbenders or their culture, but from what Aang and her other friends have said most of them were very strongly honor bound. Of course, there were plenty of Sandbenders who made their living being raiders and thieves, but Emi knew in her gut that the four men before her were no such characters. She had had enough run-ins with those types to be able to spot one right away.

“You’re actually going to believe them?!” The young woman jumped, having temporarily forgotten about Temir behind her. “After everything they’ve done! You’re pathetic!”

Temir jumped forward, pushing Emi aside as he thrust his hands toward the Sandbenders, ready to blow them away and potentially hurt them.

“Temir, that’s enough!” Emi yelled, whipping her own hands around to create a cocoon of air that stifled the boy’s flailing limbs. He continued to struggle, though, trying to overpower her bending with his own, but with very little success. “I’m so very sorry about all of this!” she said to the men, bowing as much as could without releasing Temir from his windy prison. “Please continue on with your journey.”

The men exchanged glances before filing away one by one. The first, though, held back for a moment longer. “That boy needs some discipline, Lady Airbender,” he remarked with a gruff tone. His expression then softened a bit as he glanced at Temir’s writhing figure, the child’s face red with frustration and anger. “And he needs his family.”

“He will be returned to his parents as soon as possible,” Emi nodded in agreement. The man huffed before turning away, following his companions out of sight.

Emi heaved a sigh and waved her hands, releasing Temir from his imprisonment. “Temir-”

“Why did you let them go?!” he demanded, overriding her. “Why didn’t you listen to me?!”

“Temir, you have no right to accuse people of doing something terrible without proof!” Emi countered. “And why did you leave the campsite in the first place?! Don’t you know how dangerous it is around here?!”

“You’re so stupid!” Temir yelled. “You don’t know anything!”

“Then _explain_!” Emi shouted, throwing her hands into the air. “Just tell me what happened and me and my friends can fix-!”

“There’s nothing _to_ fix! So stop trying!”

Temir turned on his heel, stomping away from Emi. The young woman clenched her hands, grinding her teeth together in sheer frustration as a thousand curses swirled within her mind. She had never encountered such a willful child in all her time of traveling, and she had met plenty of children. And the fact that he was an Airbender to boot just made her all the more fed-up with his attitude.

Emi snatched up her staff and took off after Temir, catching up quickly even without the aid of her bending.

“Temir, stop,” she commanded with as much authority as she could muster. To her surprise, the boy did stop, though he refused to turn around and look at her. _I’ll take what I can get,_ Emi mused darkly to herself.

“What?” he snapped, crossing his arms and glaring at the ground.

“We need to go back to the campsite,” Emi said, walking around until she could see Temir’s face. “Come on.”

“Make me,” he challenged, shooting a sour look up at the older Airbender. Emi heaved a sigh and pinched the skin between her eyes.

“Temir, we don’t have time for this,” she grumbled from behind her hand. “Appa and Iroh are going to be coming back soon-”

“Who?” Temir interrupted her with a scowl.

“Appa and Iroh. Iroh is an old friend of ours, and Appa is Aang’s sky bison,” Emi explained tonelessly, glaring off into the distance. At that moment, however, she got an idea. Pushing her irritation aside, she said, “You remember when we mentioned a sky bison, don’t you?”

Temir frowned up at Emi, his brow furrowed and suspicion. “…Yeah. So what?”

Emi grinned. “So, you ever hear of a sky bison before?”

“No.”

“Well, just wait 'til you see him; you’re in for a treat! Sky bison are _huge_! As tall as a building, practically! And they have _six_ legs! And horns!”

“Yeah right,” Temir scoffed, crossing his arms.

“Honest to goodness,” Emi remarked, holding up a hand. “Unfortunately, Appa is the only sky bison left, but he’s a gentle giant. As long as you treat him with respect.”

The younger Airbender continued to look disbelieving, but Emi could see a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. She smiled and snapped open her glider, holding a hand out to Temir.

“Come on. The sooner we get back to the campsite the sooner you can meet Appa.”

Temir hesitated for a moment longer before huffing out a sigh and taking Emi’s hand. She swiftly adjusted his grip before launching them both into the sky. As she headed back to where her friends were camped, she could hear Temir’s soft cry of wonder beneath the rush of the wind. She smiled to herself; perhaps there was hope for the boy after all.

After several minutes passed the pair soon found themselves spiraling over the campsite, where below Katara and Sokka were still spread out, calling for Temir. Emi angled her glider down, swiftly closing the distance. She snapped the wings back into her staff, making Temir gasp at the sudden drop before she created a cushion of air to soften their landing. As soon as their feet were on solid ground the boy released his grip on Emi, and Katara and Sokka came running forward.

“There you are!” Katara exclaimed, smiling gratefully. “We were so worried about you, Temir!” The youngest Airbender merely sniffed, shuffling over to the chaos that was his bed, where Momo and Yuuka were waiting eagerly for him.

“Wow, nice to see you, too,” Sokka grumbled under his breath. “Where did you find him?” he asked Emi.

“Almost all the way back to Ba Sing Se,” she explained. “He tried to attack a small band of Sandbenders.”

“What?!” both Katara and Sokka gasped.

“Why would he do such a thing?!” Katara continued in a horrified hush.

“Why were there Sandbenders at the Earth Kingdom capital?” Sokka added.

“I’m not sure why they were there, but Temir seemed to be convinced that they were a band of murderers,” Emi remarked, glancing over at the boy as sat with Momo and Yuuka.

“…Okay.” Sokka and his sister exchanged unsure glances. “And he thought that because…?”

“I don’t know,” Emi sighed, shaking her head. “He wouldn’t tell me anything.”

“Well, this is all the more reason we need to get to Toph,” Katara said with conviction. “She’s the only one who will be able to tell if he’s lying to us or not.”

“Hopefully he’ll actually tell us something truthful and not clam up,” Emi added darkly. Then, she blinked and looked around. “Hey, Aang isn’t back yet?”

“No, we haven’t seen him since you guys left,” Katara remarked.

“Maybe I should go look for him,” she mused, twirling her glider around and releasing the wings once more. “He could be out there for the rest of the day trying to search for Temir.”

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary, Emi,” Sokka said.

“Why not?”

“Because he’s coming back with Appa and Iroh.”

The girls whipped their heads around to where Sokka was pointing. Sure enough, in the distance they could see Aang flying beside his sky bison, Iroh sitting at the reigns and talking to the young Avatar. Moments later Appa landed nearby, disturbing the sand with his mighty weight. As Aang settled onto the ground, the trio all ran up to greet their friends while Temir trailed behind uncertainly, staring at the bison with a mixture of awe and fear.

“Good to see you again, Iroh!” Emi grinned while Katara embraced her boyfriend. Next to her, Sokka made a gagging noise.

“And you all, as well,” Iroh smiled in return, bowing. “And I see you have a new friend with you!”

“Oh, right, this is Temir,” Emi said, turning to gesture to the young boy. “We met him in Ba Sing Se.”

“And he is an Airbender,” the older man observed.

“How did you know that?” Sokka asked, perplexed.

“I explained everything to him,” Aang piped up, separating himself from Katara to address the small group. “Iroh is going to walk the rest of the way to Ba Sing Se while we take Appa to Yu Dao.”

“Are you sure that’s okay, Iroh?” Katara asked. “It’s a long walk.”

“Not to worry, my dear,” he smiled in assurance. “I will be taking the train into Ba Sing Se. So long as I have my passport, I will be just fine.”

“Well, take care, Iroh,” Emi said, hugging her friend. “We’ll come back soon to visit. And play Pai Sho!”

“I will be looking forward to it,” Iroh replied with a grin. He hugged Katara as well and waved goodbye to the rest of the group, strolling along the barren landscape while whistling a merry tune.

“Alright, let’s pack up camp and head out,” Sokka announced, going over to his bedding and rolling the blankets back up. “We’ve already lost nearly half a day, and it looks like we’ll be making camp one more time before getting back to Yu Dao.”

“Ugh, great,” Temir grumbled.

“Well, if a certain somebody hadn’t wandered off, we’d already be halfway to Yu Dao by now,” Emi huffed bitterly. When the boy didn’t reply, she looked around, her bitterness fading as she saw how awestruck he was by Appa. The sky bison peered down at the young Airbender placidly while Temir lifted a hand, almost touching Appa’s soft fur. Then, he seemed to change his mind, yanking his hand back and scowling darkly.

“Don’t worry, he’s friendly!” Aang said to Temir. The boy whirling around, startling by the presence of the young Avatar.

“I’m not scared!” he quickly retorted, crossing his arms tightly.

“I didn’t say you were,” Aang shrugged, tossing his pack onto Appa’s saddle. “Appa is big, and sometimes people think of him as intimidating. But he’s really not! He’s a friendly guy, right buddy?”

Appa rumbled, butting his nose against Aang’s hand. Temir watched the bison closely, his stiff posture softening slightly.

“I’m going to help pack,” he suddenly said, turning around and striding to where Sokka and Katara had nearly finished gathering everyone’s belongings. Emi shook her head and made her way over to Aang, smiling as Yuuka glided over to perch onto her shoulder while Momo did the same on Aang’s.

“I really don’t get that boy,” she remarked to her friend in an undertone. “Sometimes it seems like he might be genuinely interested in learning about the Airbender way of life, but then at other times it’s like he couldn’t care less!”

“We just need to remain patient,” Aang said wisely, scratching Momo’s ears. “By the way, where did you find him?”

“Almost all the way back to Ba Sing Se,” Emi sighed. “He was confronting a group of traveling Sandbenders, accusing them of being murderers.”

“What?!” Aang gasped, whipping his head around to stare at Emi. Momo bristled at the sudden action, flying off of Aang’s shoulder to make a perch of Appa’s saddle.

“Yeah, but I don’t why! Those men were good, I could tell. But if Temir was serious about having been around…murderers, then there’s a lot more to that boy’s past than we thought.”

Aang furrowed his brow, looking off into the distance. “Well, if that is the case, then we definitely have to make sure we tread carefully,” he eventually said. “Did he at least say why he left camp?”

“Nope,” Emi shook her head wearily. “Toph is going to have a hell of a time getting the truth out of him.”

“If anyone can do it, it’ll be her,” Aang grinned. Emi smiled in return as Katara, Sokka, and Temir came over to the pair at that moment, heaving the rest of the group’s belonging onto Appa’s saddle. One by one they all climbed aboard, Temir hesitating for only the barest moment before scowling in such a way that one would have thought the teens had mocked him for his hesitancy. Once everyone was settled, Aang snapped the reins and guided Appa into the air, heading a course for Yu Dao.


End file.
